The Divine Age: Book 1: The Great Hunt
by NotTheArchitect
Summary: A long-term writing project centered around a completely home-brewed D&D universe I wrote up for a campaign. While actual campaign fizzled out over the semester (real life happens), I was encouraged to share this universe with the world. I now present this creative vision to all who would see it, in a story based heavily in the player characters. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1: A Surprise Picnic

Chapter 1: A Surprise Picnic

 _We are but mere playthings of fate and whimsy_

 _For it would be no fun otherwise_

~ Maloriak, The Songbook of Desires

Under a dreary sky in a land broken, six men sat down to enjoy their latest haul: a bounty of salted pork, sweetbread, eggs and butter. It was an almost endearing sight, these six gruff, dirty lads sharing the common spoils of their toil.

"By the Eight, Podge! Don't eat the fae'n egg before ya cooked it! How am I supposed to enjoy breakfast if the whole camp smells like vomit?", chides a particularly gaunt member of the party to a particularly pudgy comrade.

" Quit your bitching Jerrick. If I was as much a pansy as you, I'd be a twig just like you. At least I know to eat as much as I can when I can. That's why I can actually use a real man's weapon like an axe, while you have your cowardly bow!" replies Podge, eliciting laughs from a few other men.

With a grin, Jerrick replies "Well, this cowardly bowman covers your enormous ass every time we go looting. That Imperial Guardsman would've skewered you if I hadn't shot the lad. To think, I might've missed out on watching you savage your eggs! Come to think of it… maybe I'd have got double portions!" Podge and the party howl in amusement and use their various dilapidated plates to toast to another successful raid.

A muscular man in rusted Imperial Guard armor finishes gnawing a piece of the pork, and addresses the party. " This really is a sweet deal. This area is basically a basket case, Guardsmen generally don't bother, and as long as we don't hurt any Halflings, Sandheaver will back us up. Hell, if wannabe hero Guardsmen keep trying to have picnics on our turf, we might as well be rolling in pork and bread!"

"I still don't get what exactly he wants us out here for… Don't the shorties have bigger plans than ambushing Guardsmen and merchants?" asks one of the men.

" I'm not privy to those kind of talks. Frankly, I'm glad. All Sandheaver said was for us to scare away Guardsmen and keep busybodies out. We got an easy job for now, and it'd be nice if we could keep it that way" the armored man replied.

He surveyed the land around him. The party was camped between two rows of Halfling boroughs built into hillsides, forming a valley large enough for the six men to deploy tents. The tops of the Halfling hills were covered in dense bush, concealing the camp nicely. However, the man in armor knew that this would be the ideal spot for an ambush, and thus encouraged his men to finish their breakfast quickly and move out.

One of the bowmen announced, perhaps as uncouthly as possible, that he needed to take a leak. The man walked out of sight of the rest of the party near a patch of bushes, and was about ready to relieve himself when he hears a low voice, coming from the bush.

"Please don't piss on me, mate"

Before he could react, the fine point of a rapier flashes from the bush, impaling his jugular and producing a muffled gurgling as he is pulled into the brush. None of his comrades seem to notice.

Moments later, two other bandits, in the midst of packing away their supplies, are engulfed in a cone of fire emanating from atop one of the hills, producing a horrid scent not dissimilar from the salted pork.

With the party numbering but three, the armored man blitzes into action. His blade at the ready, he braces himself for an attack. He got one in the form of a charging woman in full plate armor with a massive tower shield and longsword. As she charged, he noticed all of her equipment was made of fine steel and accented with gold. "A Paladin! Just my fae'n luck!". Thankfully, his time in the Imperial Army taught him at least one marketable skill, the art of staying alive. He dodges her blow handily, her hammer whiffing by his frame. He strikes her with his blade, yet, to his dismay, it is utterly ineffective against her heavy armor. His speed, however, allows for decent recovery. In a whirl of movement, he draws a dagger and throws it at the Paladin. By chance or keen eye, it strikes between the plates, causing her to shout in pain. His victory was short lived, however, as three purple darts impact his body, mangling flesh and muscle. As he lay curled on the ground, the paladin seizes this chance and brought down her blade upon his neck, ending any chance of recovery.

"Boss!" comes the strangled cry from Jerrick.

"Jerrick! Get behind me. We can still get out of here!" shouts Podge

The pair stood trembling, only having seen a single opponent yet their entire party felled. They were not special men. They had grown up together in Esterlond, the sons of peasants. The postwar years were not kind to their families, and they resorted to petty thievery. With time, they grew to enjoy it. They had not been in an even fight their whole lives. Now, they are presented with the consequences of their choices.

Podge heard a scream come from his best friend. Wheeling around, he saw the bolt of a crossbow embedded in Jerrick's shoulder, with Jerrick's bow underfoot.

"Jerrick! I need you to pick up that bow! I can't take them a-". He is stopped short by an extraordinary pain in his leg. Looking down, he is shocked to see his right knee entirely skewered by a rapier. Howling, he falls to the ground. His vision fades to black.

He is awoken a short time later with a splash of cold water.

"You've come to. Good. I have a few questions to ask both of you" a voice growls. As Podge's vision returns, he notices the hands of his captor: a grotesque mixture of scale and human skin. Podge recoils, only to end up sprawled on account of his eviscerated leg.

"Freak! What kind of freak are you?!" he screams.

A menacing hiss escapes the haggard, hooded figure.

"...Freak? FREAK?! What the hell does a piece of shit bandit have to say about freaks?!" the figure roars. No longer is he haggard, but standing seven feet tall, revealing his twisted face, a Half-Elf disfigured by mismatched golden scales. "YOU WILL HEAR MY WORDS AND ANSWER MY QUESTIONS OR YOU WILL DIE IN AGONY!"

Podge and Jerrick both whimper and shrink into the ground, completely dumbstruck with terror. Such a horror wasn't supposed to exist outside of children's scary stories! A beast and a man, produced by some unholy union, was here to cook and eat them! "By the Eight! Please, spare us! W-we will tell you everything we know! Just don't eat us!" Jerrick screams.

The horrid creature's face contorts into what could be taken as a grin. "Now that we have that cleared up, I'd like to ask what you sorry fools are doing out here. Are you with a larger group?"

"Yes! We raid under orders from Bram Sanderheaver, commander of the Halfholm Reclaimationists!" the two bandits respond in unison.

"Why the hell would Neo-Halfling Guerillas team up with petty bandits?" the beast responds quizzically.

"We don't kno-"

"Give me your best guess," his eyes narrowing.

"I-I guess we just act as extra manpower. Maybe plausible deniability? We were told to keep Imperials and busybodies out of their turf. That's all we know, I swear!" stammers Podge.

"Fair enough. Neos don't give a damn about non-Halflings, so it makes sense you schmucks would be the grunts." the beast says, half to himself.

He looks over to three of his companions. The tall blonde Paladin woman, a slim, elegant woman with long black hair dressed in a scholarly robe with fur lining to match her hair, and a bearded man of average build, with a full head of long, dark brown hair, sturdy leather armor, and a rapier. It seems that all are ignoring the information being spilled by the captives, and are instead focusing on the Halfling homes built into one of the hills.

"Hey! Lizardfriend! We're going to check out this borough to see if they stashed any loot there! Feel free to come with us!" shouts the bearded Duelist.

"In case you all have forgotten, we actually have a job to do." a humorless voice states from behind Podge. He struggles to turn, and ends up finding a bored looking short brunette woman in scale armor and drab grey cloak, cleaning her crossbow.

"It feels weird having the guy you're going to kill look at you like a lost puppy. Can you please turn back around?" she states with more than a hint or disinterest.

 _Estanna's tits, I can't tell who I'm more scared of!_ thinks Podge.

"Are you sure you should be going first?" asks the Paladin.

"Of course, dear lady knight!" replies the Duelist. "You were injured in that last scuffle, it's only chivalrous that I defend you from harm!"

The Paladin sighs, and the wizardess rolls her eyes. "I just hope this borough is structurally sound. The other end of this little hub is already completely caved in. How any of these things survived the war is pretty incredible.." the Wizardess rambles, half to be informative and half to try to erase her secondhand embarrassment from the Duelist.

The borough's interior is mercifully high-ceilinged, meaning none of the explorers need hunch or crouch. The room is wide, holding numerous, round tables and a podium near the back wall. "Hmm, this must be the communal borough tavern-hall. Only the Halflings could be so carefree as to mix boozing with voting and governance." the Wizardess says with a hint of sadness. The Duelist, seeing no dangers, walks to the center of the room, mulling over the thought that if any of the brew here would be drinkable, if they could find any. The Wizardess suddenly notices something. Although thin, her encyclopedic knowledge of the natural world and magic are able to spot them. Strands of web, all over the walls and floors…

"Thanatos! Get back!" she shouts.

Before he is able to turn around to respond, he is knocked to the floor by a heavy weight. Thanatos quickly comes to his senses, but is paralyzed again by the eight black eyes only a foot away from his face. A spider the size of a wolf is pinning him on his back to the floor.

"AAAAAAAHHHH GET IT OFF GET IT OFF GET IT OFF!" he roars in adrenaline-frenzied terror. He attempts to stab the creature with his rapier, but is unable to firmly grasp it due to his predicament, and ends up launching his blade from his hand in a frantic attempt at self defense. This spider thrives on ambush, and thus has evolved to be a master of such arts. At the end of its legs are retractable barbs, which it has used to hook itself to Thanatos. The spider attempts to bite him with fangs dripping with poison, but Thanatos manges to thrash so successfully that the spider only bites his left shoulder, as opposed to jugular.

By this time, his companions are jumping into action. The Paladin rushes forward, bashing the spider with her tower shield from the front, but to little avail, causing the spider to retract only two of its eight barbs from Thanatos. In anger, the spider jabs at the Paladin, but she successfully blocks both blows.

"Cordelia! Are you ok?" shouts the Wizardess.

"I'm fine! We need to get this thing off of him!" Cordelia shouts over the surprising amount of noise the spider and Thanatos are making.

"I HATE BUGS! WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE BUGS?!" roars Thanatos.

"Alicern! What's the holdup?" shouts Cordelia.

"You're all too close for most of my magic! You will get hit as well! I don't know if Thanatos can survive that!" Alicern replies, voice full of panic.

"Karyuu! Nina! We need help" she shouts.

 _Help! Help!_

Karyuu's ear perks up. "Nina, do you hear that? It sounds like our little band of sidetrackers want help." Nina shows no real reaction. "Should we do something? I mean, we _did_ tell them to stay out here and help with our actual job…" he continues.

"No, I think we have more important tasks to accomplish. I can't deal with the undead issue in The Burial Pits until we get clearance… meaning we need to get this fodder task done with as opposed to wasting time." Nina replies coldly.

" Boss told us never to go into the old boroughs. Spiders and other beasties like to take up residence there. Probably what they ran into." Podge says nervously.

"Hrph. If that's all, then I'll consider it a test. If all of them come back alive, I'll continue working with them until my task is done in Halfholm. If not, then I'll just sneak past the Imperial garrison." Karyuu states as if drawing a line in the sand.

"Works for me," Nina replies.

The scene is quiet for a time, with only the distant sounds of yelling and occasional whimpers from the prisoners to be heard.

"Something you want to say?" growled Karyuu, annoyed at the whimpering ruining his tranquil moment.

"N-no.. Are you going to eat us?" Podge whimpers.

"That depends, wretch. Will you tell me useful information? Where is your boss? How many men does he have? Don't try lying. I have a knack for finding liars out…" Karyuu growls, his fiery amber eyes searing themselves into the bandit's frightened frames.

" can't say. 're just underlings… just some extra hel-" mumbles Jerrick

"ARE YOU HIDING SOMETHING, LITTLE SCRAWNY RAT? YOU WILL GIVE ME WHAT I WANT OR YOU SHALL NOT LEAVE HERE ALIVE!" roared Karyuu, almost radiating a furious heat.

"By the Serpent's patience, have you considered the possibility that these dolts might actually not know? They don't strike me as the brainy type…" Nina comments in light irritation at the her shouty companion.

"But by all means, if getting this mad at random bandits really makes you happy, go for it. Not like we're doing much else right now.." her irritation giving way to apathy.

"You wretches had better start talking, FAST. I can't imagine my companions being in a pleasant mood coming out of that borough…" Karyuu says with a smirk.

"I'M NOT GETTING OVER MY FEARS ANY FASTER! HELP!" Thanatos yells desperately.

"Alicern, we need casting! Now!" shouts Cordelia.

"It might kill him! Pry it off first!" Alicern shouts back.

Thanatos struggles to get the spider off, punching with his non-dominant arm, thus hitting like a sack full of very soft puppies. The spider remains latched on, and proceeds to once again dig in its front barbs around Thanatos' shoulders.

"May the wrath of Estanna strike you down, beast!" roars Cordelia, her blade resonating with magical energy. She slams her weapon into the spider, which lets out a horrible shriek, detaching itself from Thanatos and scurrying across the room.

"Alicern! Now!" shouts Cordelia.

In a split second, Alicern acts, launching one of the large bar tables at extreme velocity via magical manipulation. This newly weaponized table smashes into the spider with a satisfying crunch, crushing its carapace against the wall. The beast is vanquished.

Cordelia frantically rushes to the wounded Thanatos' side. His skin around the bite is swollen with an angry red color and blood seeps from the numerous barb impact points on his body. He certainly looks ill. When his companions reach him however, he has but one thing to say:

"There had better have been some fae'n brew in here!"

"So, what all did you find?" asks Karyuu.

"If I'm being honest, which I am, I don't really feel like telling you. After all, neither of you came to assist!" says Thanatos sourly.

"Does that mean we don't have to tell you what we learned from our picnic guests here?" responds Karyuu with a smirk.

Thanatos lets out a defeated sigh. "Alright, if that's how you want to play it. We found some ancient, utterly inedible bread, a worn copy of _The Birth of Vaelia_ , a dozen gold coins, and a bit of rope."

"What about the spider?" asks Karyuu

"What about it?" Thanatos responds, raising an eyebrow.

"By the Eight, are you wasteful or what?" Karyuu growls. "I shall return in a moment"

As Karyuu departs, he accidentally bumps into Thanatos, causing him to wince in pain.

"Wow, that spider really did a number on you, eh?" inquires Nina. She raises a small, obsidian and marble serpent icon and begins a chant.

"No need, thank you. We still have work to do today. I'd rather you not strain yourself by healing me when we are already resting for a bit. Leave it to the potions." Thanatos says, wincing all the while.

"Hmph. Well I do appreciate that. Whether it was out of genuine goodwill for me or because the healing burns like fire and you're a wuss, I guess I don't really care" replies Nina dismissively.

"Well, both the potions and your magic are both painful and unpleasant, but at least the healing potions are based in heavy spirits!" Thanatos says, grinning.

In the midst of this conversation, Alicern walks over with a homebrewed healing potion and a makeshift antidote for the spider's venom. "You're lucky that I'm the best alchemist I know. The antidote should deal with the poison within the day and the potion should be less severe than your generic general store healing potion. I don't think it's a wise idea to start out our bounty hunt with boozing." she says as she gingerly dabs the bite wound with a soaked cloth.

"Fair enough. Day drinking truly is an awful habit to get into." replies Thanatos.

As Alicern works, Karyuu returns with nearly the entire spider. "For Andoral's sake, could you at least try to show some sympathy and not haul that monster back on my face?" groans Thanatos. Karyuu chuckles, explaining his great expertise as a cook, as well as the practical applications of the barbs this species of spiders possess. Namely, use in traps and as fishing hooks.

After dousing his wound, Alicern passes Thanatos a brown, viscous liquid in a small mason jar.

"Well, bottom's up, I suppose" he says with a barely suppressed grimace. Just as he's about to down it, he stops himself. "Wait, what of the prisoners? I don't want to be feeling painful and nauseous before we decide what to do with them."

"They are hiding something. No matter how much I threaten them, they won't budge… I won't feel comfortable killing them until we get the information" Karyuu says bluntly. "I am inclined to agree" says Nina. "We need to find out what they know. Afterword, it seems smartest to kill them. Who's going to miss a few third-rate bandits?" she states.

"Who would've thought declaring your intention to kill someone might make them less likely to help you?" Thanatos says sarcastically. " In all seriousness, if they know something, we should give them a reason to tell us…" Thanatos turns to the bandits. "What are your stories? If I let you go, where would you go? What would you do?"

"We was both farm boys. Just peasants. Both of us lost our dads near the end of the war, and we never got a single gold piece from Altdorf or any Imperial coffer. After my ma had to sell my little sister to the fae'n Gnomes, we both left home and took it out on any Imperial we could find. Ended up moving out here because the hits were easy and there were plenty of others like us. Hell, our boss you put down was an Imperial himself. A deserter from the Guard. Shows how noble their lot is!" Podge says with much bitterness.

Jerrick chimes in "Now that our gang is finished, and your next target is our old boss, I suppose we gotta move somewhere else. We could probably work someone's land, we got the skills for it. As long as it's no Gnome." his eyes narrow "I'll die before I work for a Gnome!"

Thanatos nods. "I believe these men will not bring harm to more innocent lives. They were driven to desperation by a failure to deliver on the part of the Empire. They are not evil men at heart. Mercy should be offered to those who seek it."

"And what if they lie? Your naivety could spell doom for yet more innocents…Not to mention we ourselves may be set up for an ambush by letting these fools go." growls Karyuu.

"That is a risk I am willing to take." replies Thanatos.

"I don't suppose any decision we make right now really matters. Both of them are bleeding very badly, and won't make it far, even if we do let them go." Alicern notes.

"I believe I have a solution for that," says Cordelia, approaching the men. "Holy Estanna, Golden Patron of Righteousness, Nobility and Humility, may you pardon these lost ones their punishment, and allow for them to walk among us as new men!" She then gives them her two personal healing potions, to the surprise of everyone.

"By the Eight, I thought I was playing the part of the good guy!" exclaims Thanatos.

"I'll start brewing two more potions, I suppose…" shrugs Alicern. Karyuu says nothing, instead running his scaled hand across an amber stone on his chest. "Moradin's bane, this is foolish.." mutters Nina.

The two prisoners looked at each other, and then to the party, with tears in their eyes. They thanked them for the mercy shown and swore that they would never see them again, and planned on going back to farming. "As a parting gift, we have a piece of information you may find interesting…. In roughly three hours, a second bandit group should arrive at this spot. They are higher up the food chain than we were, meaning they might be able to get you specifics on Sandheaver" Jerrick claims.

"Well, this time for real. Bottom's up!" exclaims Thanatos, downing his fetid potion in unison with the prisoners. All of them gag and lie still in nauseous discomfort for a time, only for Thanatos to become roused by a delicious smell.

"Truly, today is a blessed day. I smell salted pork!" he says happily. After rummaging through the bandit's former supplies, he discovers half a dozen eggs, a loaf of sweetbread, and a great deal of salted pork. Enough for the party to have a truly luxurious breakfast at the start of a very busy day to come.


	2. Lore Excerpt 1: The Birth of Vaelia

Excerpts from Gavin Waywater's _The Birth of Vaelia_

In the beginning, there was the Weave. This was a space of pure magic, where the simple act of thinking can produce a new reality. Despite millennia of research into the nature of the Architect and the nature of the Weave, none can say which was first; The Architect, creator of the living world, or the Weave, with its chaotic nature spawning a God. Regardless of the debate, it is said that The Architect created Vaelia as a vain display of their power and pride. He wished for a place where he, not the chaotic Weave, had full control. To further accomplish this, he created his own race of beings; the Dragons. The Architect created 8 broods of Dragon, imprinting the powers of immortality and sentience upon his beloved creations.

The role of the Dragons was twofold. Dragons operated as the curators and guardians of the newly made world, ensuring all stayed as it was in the beginning. The Dragons also operated as the children of The Architect, fulfilling his orders regarding the new world. Eventually, the Dragons, being gifted with sentience, began to work on projects of their own, away from The Architect. Thus, the blueprints for life independent of The Architect were made.

Eventually, The Architect caught on. In his pride, he was unable to fathom the idea of life in the Weave not made and controlled by him. He demanded his beloved children destroy all of what they had created. Instead, the Dragons rebelled against The Architect, slaying him by banishment into the vast unknown of the Weave. This long battle resulted in deaths of many Dragons, with the rest retreating from the world. This war in heaven, however, allowed for the chaotic essence of the Weave to leak in, and in the ensuing millenia of chaotic influence and sleeping guardians, life emerged. All living things, besides Dragons, are said to have spawned from this event. This common lineage has united the world under the faith of the Divine Pantheon, worship of the eight Dragon aspects, who came to represent different traits among sentient races.

 **THE GREAT DRAGON BROODS & THEIR DIVINE PROGENITORS**

Obsidian: Norgannon

Norgannon, firstborn of The Architect. He who maintains order, carries out justice, and acts as the warden of time. The great black serpent was the favorite son of The Architect, as well as the most powerful. It was he who turned upon the father and cast him down into the abyss, yet was also the very last to rebel against him. He is the great judge, patron of the jailor, constable, and repentant prisoner. His watch over Vaelia is uninterrupted, unbroken, and eternal. This dutiful commitment is displayed in his holy symbol, the serpent devouring its own tail.

Green: Sehanine

Sehanine, the first daughter and second child of The Architect. The great huntress and gardener, she watches the wilds of our world and sees to the preservation of it. In this, she is responsible for the cycle of life and death, culling when needed and maintaining balance. She is the patron of the hunter, hermit, and the dead. She was the third to rebel against The Architect. Her nature is reflective of nature itself, with sees life and death as a holy cycle, relying on each other to maintain symbiosis. Her symbol is a stag's skull wreathed in vines, showing this relationship.

Steel: Moradin

Moradin, the third child of The Architect. The Shepherd of Storms, honor-bound lord, and father of wisdom. The great steel king rules the domain of the fierce storms, commanding and tempering them to his interests. He presents a great and honest challenge to mortals with these storms. If one has the strength, both of body and character, as well as the wisdom of mind and spirit, any storm can be weathered. This is his fundamental lesson. No great feats of honor or wisdom are ever achieved without struggle, and struggle must be welcomed as a gift for personal growth. The patron of explorers, elders, warriors, poets and teachers. He is the sixth rebel. His holy symbol is that of a great bolt of lightning striking a mountaintop, with the storm, thus struggle, being the pinnacle of personal journeys.

Red: Kurtulmak

Kurtulmak, the fourth child of The Architect. Master of the Roaring Flame, lord of slaughter and champion of wrath. The red dragon is the embodiment of violence, anger, and greed. He is not commonly worshiped by any race outside of Orcs, who themselves exist in a state in which Kurtulmak would delight. In the Empire, he is reviled as the harbinger of evil, violence, and sin. The patron of violent criminals, Orcs, and carnivorous beasts. The seventh rebel, joining alongside Moradin. His holy symbol is an axe wreathed in flame, representing the savagery of war and the angry flames of the dragon.

Gold: Estanna

Estanna, the fifth child of The Architect. The guardian of virtue and champion of the righteous, Estanna acts as a shining beacon of humility, nobility, light, and the defense of such principles. Among the denizens of the Empire, she is by far the most commonly revered. She is the patron of the knight, noble, peasant, and priest. She was the second to rebel against The Architect. Her symbol is that of a shield emblemized with a pair of roses, meant to convey a defense of the family, something she considers to be the basis of a noble life.

Bronze: Andoral

Andoral, the sixth child of The Architect. He is the supreme symbol of freedom, idealism, goodwill, empathy, and revolution. The great bronze liberator is the second most worshipped of the Divines within the Empire. He is the patron of the rebel, adventurer, those enslaved, and the idealist. Andoral was the first to revolt against The Architect, with his lover Estanna following soon afterword. The holy symbol of Andoral is a shattered chain, displaying the defiance he had shown to The Architect, as well as a message of encouragement to others in the struggle for freedom.

Blue: Zaphkiel

Zaphkiel, the seventh child of The Architect. Known as the Azure Scholar or the Seeing Eye, the blue Divine is the concept of knowledge given form. He is the great researcher, scientist, and arcanist. It is said that not even his divine breathing can truly know just how far he has delved into the mysteries of the Weave, nor what he may know. He does, however, also suffer from the consequences of a voracious curiosity and mighty intellect, these being inability to know limits and a blinding sense of arrogance only a genius could develop. He is the patron of the scholar, magic user, inventor, alchemist, and savant. He was the fourth to rebel against The Architect, devising his method of banishment. His holy symbol is that of an eye, with three taught threads being pulled on either side of it, representing his constant observation of the magical world and the Weave.

Purple: Maloriak

Maloriak, the eighth child of The Architect. The Great Schemer, Gaping Devourer, Grand Host, and Lord of the Game are all one being. This Divine is the lord of trickery, delighting in intrigue, the higher stakes the better, and in its mind, there is no better place for "fun" intrigue than a party. This Divine is the lord of parties, drinking, debauchery, and gift giving, taking great joy to be an entertaining and hospitable host, for both its enjoyment and those of its guests. Maloriak is the patron of the playboy, spy, assassin, chef, werebeast, whore, and host. Maloriak was the fifth to rebel, fearing an end to the eternal party, as well as being enthralled by intrigue against The Architect. The holy symbol of Maloriak is the Goblet of Avarice, a golden goblet with teeth making up its rim, overflowing with sanguine wine.

 _As you put down the book, you notice a few blurred lines of scrawled handwriting on the interior of the back cover….._

 _There is another._

 _A shadow lurking in the back of your mind_

 _A blistering itch only you can feel_

 _A festering wound only you can see_

 _Deeper than any may venture, a black pit awaites_

 _The screams of untold numbers of tortured souls cry out in the dark_

 _This houses the patron of the indignant banished, the bound masses, the hungering dominator, and the unseen lord_

 _Fear lives here_

 _And it shall not be denied its name_


	3. Chapter 2: An Alliance of Convenience

Chapter 2: An Alliance of Convenience

 _The greatest of journeys begin with but a single step up the mountain_

~ Moradin, The Saga of Struggle

"If you can't pay the toll, I suggest you turn back the way you came. Doubt you're worth the Grand Martial's time if you're not worth mine!" states a large, imposing Imperial Guardsman matter-of-factly. He stands in a suit of half plate and chain mail, emblazoned with the sigil of the Empire; a golden dragon under seven gold stars, all under one crowd on a field of royal purple.

"Please sir, I need to deliver these goods to the fort. The quartermaster for the Third Army requested them specifically!" replies a somewhat disheveled young man with a very large cart.

"Sorry friend, but if you can't pay the toll, I can't give you passage. 25 gold pieces isn't much in this economy!" replies the Guardsmen. A small, devilish smile comes to his face. "In fact, what kind of merchant has so little coin on hand?... Perhaps you're just a bandit! I ought to put you in the stocks!" he gestures toward a collection of pillories on the side of the road, with a curious hooded figure already occupying one. Around the figure, other Imperial Guards poke it with sticks like children on a schoolyard, while a larger Guardsman argues with a raven-haired woman in robes.

"I'm no bandit! I'm just a delivery man, milord! Just a peasant! Please, I have a family to feed!" the man with the cart replies, prostrating himself on the ground before the Guardsman.

The Guardsman's wry smile became a grin, greed almost emanating from his dirty teeth. "Tell you what friend, I will be magnanimous! Since my friends and I are also good friends with the quartermaster, we will just take some of these goods off of your hands and give it to him later. In exchange, I'll let you come in, free of charge!" the Guardsman leans in to add effect, whispering in the ear of the man with the cart, "I'll even let you come back through, no charge! Our little secret."

The man with the cart looks up at the Guardsman. _Damn these bandits in armor! No wonder the smugglers are getting so fat, they seem the only way to be able to conduct business around here without getting robbed by these goons!_ he thinks to himself. He looks over at another Guardsman, noticing his gaze upon him and his hand groping the hilt of his blade. He realizes he has no choice here.

"Fine"

"Excuse me? Is that any way to speak to a member of the Imperial Guard? Much less, one of the Third Army?" the imposing Guardsman sneers.

"Very fine, sir. Feel free to take a look at the supplies. I thank you for helping with my cargo. May we humble peasants always enjoy such generous protection by th-" the man with the cart says, hiding a bitter smile.

"Don't get smart with me" the Guardsman's eyes flash with anger. "What friends does a delivery boy have in our perimeter? I'll tell you; not as many as me.", he says, never breaking eye contact with the man with the cart. He then gestures toward a group of his fellows, who proceed to comb the cart for valuables. Booze, gold coins, even smokegrass pipes and pouches are seized by covetous hands. "Remember lads, nobody snag-" he pauses for a moment, producing a fake coughing fit "transports any shit until we get it sorted out tonight." he says to his troops.

He turns back to the man with a now lighter cart, once again grinning. "Happy to lend a hand. We'll see you around now!"

The Guardsman turns back to the checkpoint, ready for his next catch. "Next!" he shouts.

 _By the Eight, what a depressing little scene._ Thanatos thinks to himself. He groans, still slightly groggy from his wild night in Ribben, a village a few hours behind him. _The brew was pisswater… but my, if peasant girls didn't redeem that tavern!_ he manages a reminiscent smile. His smile turned to a cringe upon remembering just how much gold he had spent. He checks his coin purse, feeling around roughly 50 coins. _Faen_ he thinks, looking at the approaching border checkpoint. _If I didn't need the coin, I'd have avoided this pisshole. Hope Eiric's info is solid…._ He muses, taking note that the "tollmen" change the price based on what the mark is carrying. He attempts to stow away his fine duelist blade as quickly as possible.

A few minutes later, Thanatos approaches the border post. The imposing Guardsman quickly takes notice.

" Hello, young master. Where are you headed to today? Not many are brave enough to venture into the ruins of Halfholm alone." the Guardsman says with a smile.

"Headed down to Fort Easthold. Looking for work as a laborer or delivery lad. Times are hard, y'know?" Thanatos says with the most honest looking smile he can muster.

"You look a little lanky for a laborer….how about you tell me why you're really here? The Guardsman says, leaning in for emphasis.

 _Shit. Time for route B!_

Thanatos sighs, and then whispers to the Guardsman "Look, I'm thinking of joining the Imperial Guard. I've been watching you guys, and it seems pretty lucrative. I'd like in… I'm not a goody two-shoes myself!", Thanatos finishes with a sly bullshit grin.

"Well now, is that so?" the Guardsman replies with an equally sly grin. "If you're a good-for-nothing, that must mean you've got something on you to show for it… give me your weapon. Now."

 _Just my fae'n luck_ grimaces Thanatos.

"Please do not do that! That is a very delicate specimen!" Alicern yells in frustration. The Guardsmen seem unconcerned and continue to poke at the increasingly irritated creature before them.

"Fools…" growls Karyuu, "Once I am free of this pillory, I will reduce you and your friends to ash!"

"Eh, good luck with that, you ugly bastard." replies a Guardsman wielding a stick. "Even if you get out of that pillory, we've got a whole camp of armed soldiers here. Even if you somehow get all of us, we're part of the Imperial Army. There'd be nowhere in Calradia you could run from us!" he laughs.

"I wouldn't need to run" says Karyuu, "only get my timing right. I could pick you off one by one…"

"Holy shit! For something so ugly, it sure does think highly of himself!" laughed another Guardsman, evoking a hearty roar from his comrades.

"You dare..OW!" Karyuu snarls, only to be interrupted by a hard _thwak_ from a wooden stick, held by yet another Guardsman.

"For the love of the Divines, stop! That creature is my responsibility!" Alicern shouts again.

"For the last time woman, this creature arrived a solid hour and a half before you. Even if you were not lying, it's quite clear you can't keep track of your property for shit!" yells the Guardsman with a stick.

Alicern lets out an embarrassed blush. _Damn, he called me on my lie! I need to get better at this. Ah, I've got it!_ "I was supposed to escort this specimen to Fort Easthold. It had indeed escaped from me, thanks for the reminder. Anyhow, I'm glad you've caught it. Please release him into my custody so I may finish my errand." she says, trying to convey a sense of authority in her speech.

"Are you fae'n kidding me?" the Guardsman says, rolling his eyes in disbelief. "From a security standpoint, you clearly can't keep track of this thing, and it has threatened to kill me and my men no less than eight times! I _might_ have it sent to the fort in irons, but I think the Grand Martial would have this thing killed regardless! I'm keeping it here, and the is nothing you can do about it." the Guardsman says, barely containing the exasperation in his voice.

"But.." Alicern stammers.

"What are you going to do, call the Guardsmen?" the Guardsman replies with an amused smirk on his face. .

"Well, If I do that, I'll lose the element of surprise, right? That's the art of being a scoundrel, right? If I just flash my weapon around, everyone will know my tricks and be able to counter me!" Thanatos says, trying to laugh off the very serious request.

"Are you threatening me?" the Guardsman says without a hint of amusement

 _SHIT!_ Thanatos screams internally.

"N-no, just trying to be professional, that's all" Thanatos says with a pained smile.

"Then be a professional and give me your weapon, friend" says the Guardsman, tone cold as ice.

Just then, a hooded figure wielding an arbalest on their back approaches the border crossing.

"What the..! Hold there!" shouts another Guardsman, rushing toward the figure.

The imposing Guardsman with Thanatos springs into action. "Hold! Identify yoursel-" he stops in his tracks. "Let her pass!" he shouts to his unit.

Thanatos looks to the figure. It is a short female with an unnervingly neutral shade of grey iris, displaying a symbol of the Cult of Norgannon, a marble and obsidian ouroboros icon. She walks past the Guardsmen without breaking stride.

As she passes, Thanatos asks the Guardsman, with more than a hint of annoyance "Wait a minute. How come she gets to pass? She's got a weapon even a blind man could spot!"

The Guardsman, attention refocused on Thanatos, snatches Thanatos' satchel from his shoulder. "Don't ask questions, shrew. Now, let's see what we have here.." The Guardsman first attempts to remove the remarkably well compressed sheets, maps, smokegrass, and various other belongings before losing interest and dumping the contents of the satchel on the ground. The contents were quite surprising. A duelist's blade, a fine weapon used mainly for gentlemanly combat and artful killing as opposed to crude soldiering blades, multiple packs of small crossbow bolts, and most surprising of all, a hand-crossbow. Such a weapon was virtually unheard of outside of the nobility or otherwise very well connected people. The Guardsman stood, wide eyed.

"Where did you get these weapons?"

"I nabbed them off some lordling's corpse. No idea what house. Thought they looked nice." Thanatos smiled painfully.

"Bullshit. If these are your only weapons, then you must know how to use them. Not even soldiers are trained with these...meaning you must be valuable." the Guardsman deduced with a grin full of greed. "Alright lads, take special care of this one. Clamp him in the stocks. We'll find out who he really is!"

"No. You are not" says a voice coming from behind Thanatos.

He turns to see a woman. Though certainly not an unfamiliar sight to a "connoisseur" such as Thanatos, even he was speechless. Despite her heavy plate armor, her slim and muscular figure was obvious. She has no helm, giving view to her flowing golden hair and piercing dark blue eyes.

 _I could not ask for a better savior!_ Thanatos thought behind a smile.

"And who are you, lady?" inquires the Guardsman, eyes narrowing.

"I am Cordelia Silverlight, Paladin of the Golden Order of Estanna" she says in an authoritative tone "... and I am taking this man into custody, to be delivered at Fort Easthold."

Thanatos' smile evaporates.

 _Are you fae'n kidding me?_ he thinks.

"Hold now. That seems a bit unlikely, lady Paladin." the imposing Guardsman says. "You and the hooded Norg were standing right behind him this whole time without moving a muscle...How can you take him into custody when it's clear he slipped under your nose?" he says with a smug satisfaction.

"You are correct. I had no interest until you tried nabbing his belongings. A hand crossbow and a duelist's blade? You certainly caught yourselves a dangerous criminal! So dangerous, in fact, that I will be taking jurisdiction. I will interrogate the villain and serve Estanna's justice." she replies without any hesitation.

"You can't just..!" the Guardsman stammers in surprise.

"Actually, I can. You are Imperial Army, and your duties do not include policing of local county matters such as petty thievery, banditry, or noble plots. Those jobs are for Paladins, town watchers, and noble levies to handle." she says, taking a step forward and saying in a lowered tone "I suggest you stay in your lane, lest I report it to your someone far more important than you lot."

A single bead of sweat comes off of the Guardsman's forehead.

"What of your hooded companion? Does she approve of this?" he asks.

"She is currently pursuing other quarry" Cordelia replies, gesturing toward the stocks.

"My, but what are you?" Nina says, her monotone nearly faltering in the face of her genuine surprise. The creature, nay, man in the stocks is like nothing she has seen.

 _His skin is too fair to be human's, despite the scales. Could he be an Elf?_ She thinks to herself.

She looks at his eyes, shining a brilliant amber-gold, with a strangely reptilian inhumanity to them.

 _Not an Elf. No Elf has eyes of that color. Perhaps..._

" A pilgrim of sorts, being accosted by these jackasses" growls Karyuu, snapping her out of her musings.

"My sympathy. Though, can you really blame them for stopping you? You certainly...inspire a second glance," she says diplomatically.

" Will your sympathy get me out of this fae'n stock? My new Wizardess friend over there seems to have all the sympathy in the world but it hasn't done shit." Karyuu snorts with derision. The Wizardess has ceased arguing with the Guardsmen, instead doing her best to observe Karyuu in the stocks.

"We will need to see what my guard-dog wannabe-hero at the gate does. If she does her thing, I should be able to take custody of both of you." replies Nina.

"Custody?!" Karyuu flares his malformed nostrils, "What the hell did _I_ do?! These damned Guardsmen saw me and just threw me in here!" he snarls.

"Wh-what?!" Alicern says in a voice tinged with fear. "I'm just trying to get to Fort Easthold! I've already been allowed passage! What are you arresting me for?!" her voice slowly rising in pitch with each question.

" Fine. You'll get your prisoner." the Guardsman growls, shoving Thantos' belongings to the Paladin, along with a short length of rope, which is fastened to Thanatos in short order.

"Thank you, Guardsman. I'm glad we could clear this up quickly." Cordelia replies. She looks toward the stocks, where it seems her escortee has acquired two new companions bound in rope.

"Is there anything else you'd like to seize before you pass? Perhaps the armor off my back or my week's pay?" the Guardsman growled in simmering anger.

"No, all I ask is that you continue representing the honor and valor of the Imperial Army well here at this border crossing." she says with a knowing frown.

"With pleasure, Paladin." he replies with a snort.

After a few minutes of walking in glum uncertainty the road towards the fort, Cordelia breaks the silence.

"Alright. I think this is far enough. Let's get these binds off."

The three prisoners look surprised. Each looks to each other, gauging their responses, and then to their "captors".

"Wait a moment… What about facing judgement?" Thanatos asks Cordelia.

"I have. If you were a criminal, you'd have done a much better job at getting out of that situation. You clearly didn't speak the language, at least not well enough to convince either him or me." she replies. " The other two were under no criminal suspicion, just were in the wrong place at the wrong time." She pauses, "Though, I am still certainly curious as to how you got those weapons, and what exactly you are" she says, turning to Karyuu.

" As I said, a pilgrim of sorts" he growls.

" What is your destination?" Cordelia asks.

"I am going to the Burial Pits in Halfholm. Estanna is my guide, and thus I go wherever she says I am to go." he replies solemnly.

Cordelia's eyes light up at this. "Ah! You too follow holy Estanna? It truly is a joy to be traveling with one of the faithful!" she replies with a smile, betraying her hard and authoritative demeanor from earlier.

"...Yes. I aimed to stop at Fort Easthold to gather supplies, for I have heard that the road to the Burial Pits is rife with the undead. Though perhaps I should avoid the fort, considering the Guardsmen's reaction at the border…" Karyuu grumbles.

"Nonsense! Our paths have aligned, and I will not let them touch you. Nina and I actually have the same objective as you. I am to protect her as she investigates the source of the undead in the Burial Pits." Cordelia beams.

"My, something tells me that my "get in, get out unnoticed" approach might be thrown off by a walking enigma and wannabe-hero Paladin…" Nina grumbles.

" Have you encountered undead before? I can assure you that stealth will not be enough to accomplish our goals" Cordelia replies, her face forming a frown. "Is there an issue with the way we crossed the border? We got two innocents out of the hands of corrupt officials, and even a new member of our party."

"We should've kept to our own business. Who knows how that will backfire on us later? We need to stay focused on our task." Nina replies.

"The followers of Norgannon follow Norgannon, yes? Dragon of Justice? Do you not take a stand against injustice towards the weak? Cordelia says, frown becoming more pronounced.

"We take the truly just stand, a neutral one. As opposed to mucking about playing hero… By the way, why did we step in for this lot and not the others who got shaken down? Is that lack of action not unjust?" Nina replies tersely.

" They will get their justice soon enough" Cordelia replies, voice once again hard and authoritative. "Those Guardsmen are a mockery of their comrades, and the Grand Marshal will hear of it."

"Erm, sorry to interrupt, but did I hear that you are heading to the Burial Pits?" Alicern inquires.

"Indeed, what of it?" Nina replies.

"I too am on a mission to the region. I am to catalogue the various sorts of undead for the Department of Reliquaries at the Imperial Academy. Despite all this time since the war, we Calradians have only a weak understanding of Sorcery as a school of magic, necromancy included." she smiles, happy to be talking about something she's comfortable with. "I suppose we should be thankful to the Elves for leaving all of these undead shambling around, otherwise we'd never be able to study them…" her smile weakens, taking on a more grim tone.

"Hmm, it seems our party yet grows. How fortuitous!" Cordelia smiles warmly. She turns to Thanatos "And what of you? What business have you in Easthold? Are you truly working as a laborer?" she asks.

"In a sense." Thanatos replies. "I was told by a friend that the Marshal was going to need mercenary work soon. While his information might fall through, he is generally good for it. Not sure how long I'll be around for, but it should be honest and steady work."

" And what of your equipment? It certainly is peculiar...What's the story?" Cordelia asks with a degree of suspicion.

"It is as I said at the border. I am no criminal. I honestly just found these on some poor sod on the roadside. I suppose it is good fortune that whatever killed him didn't take the blade and crossbow. Not much of a story, really." Thanatos replies.

" I see" Cordelia replies, her voice betraying a bit of disappointment. "Here I thought I rescued some noble scion, or got my hands on a dangerous criminal." She smiles again, "Well, it seems we will be traveling together for a short while anyhow, so feel free to keep in contact while we are at the fort."

" I will be sure to!" Thanatos replies with a grin. _Seeing you more often really will really cheer me up in this dreary land!_

A few hours pass on the road to Fort Easthold. Moving as a group, opportunistic Guardsmen generally avoided the band, instead preying on lone peasants, already bled dry at the border crossing. Cordelia winced, yet knew that the party was far outnumbered and could not intervene at every opportunity. _They will get their justice_ , she thought to herself.

On the road to the fort, the members of this little band all exchanged names. Cordelia Silverlight, Paladin of the Golden Order of Estanna. Nina Ravenholt, Cleric of Norgannon. Karyuu, pilgrim. Alicern Treadway, agent of the Imperial Academy. Thanatos, roving swordsman and mercenary.

At last, the party comes to the threshold of the great Fort Easthold. The fort has stood since before the end of the Great War, acting as the forward command base for the mighty 3rd Imperial Army Group and the bulwark against the Direnni's invasion along the coasts of Halfholm. It stands on the border of the "Brown Lands", or territory irreparably savaged in the war, and the green and golden plains of Esterlond, Hollywatch, and the Greater Elector-Duchy of Heimat. The Holly River running to the south of the fort, is far less frequently traveled since the war, but still presents calm blue waters leading to the sea. The fortress is one of the largest in the whole of Calradia, with multiple rings within, and battlements towering above the land. There is a reason this fortress survived the horrors of the Great War. The party now stands before its mighty gates, being ushered in by a Guard.

"By the Eight, this place is much larger than how they make it sound in the books…" Alicern murmurs.

"Where can I go to inquire about work? I hear there is room for a mercenary here at the fort." Thanatos asks the Guard, only to receive a surprising answer.

"You'll want to ask the Grand Marshal about that. Liaison officer was recently sacked for collaboration with criminals. Grand Marshal is now handling the merc contracts." the Guard grunts.

"By the- is there seriously nobody else I can talk to? Someone with, I don't know, lower stakes regarding messing up the interview?" Thanatos replies with a slight tone of panic.

"Afraid not. I can escort you to him once these other guests get sorted out" the Guard says, eyeing Karyuu but saying nothing.

"The four of us need to get to the Burial Pits. What would you recommend we pack for our quest? What is here in the fort for purchase?" Nina says.

"That area is off limits. Roads are too full of bandits to send a relief force in case you get ambushed by the undead. Marshal's orders." the Guard replies flatly.

"You're joking." Nina frowns.

"Do you think we too could see the Grand Marshal? Perhaps I can convince him to make an exception." Cordelia says diplomatically.

"Be my guest. Escorting the lot of you to one place makes my job a lot easier. My legs are already tired from marching around all day anyhow!" the Guard says, apparently amused at his own quip.

The party enters the upper level of the central keep of the fort, the command center of Grand Martial Fordragon. The room seems to be in the style of a large, multilevel circular study, with books and maps lining the walls, and a great many tables depicting troop movements across Calradia. The legendary commander clearly has never ceased honing his art, despite little war to be fought.

A tall, muscular figure steps forward. He wears a tunic of muted grey with the sigil of the Empire etched over the heart. His visage reminds one of a stern father, or perhaps a hero out of some tale. His black hair is cut to military fashion, with none below his ears. His beard is full and impressive. Both show streaks of grey, yet this doesn't seem to concern the 59 year old Marshal, who's body seems to have taken aging in effortless stride. This is the image of Grand Marshal Fordragon, hero of the Great War .

"Greetings, honored guests of my fortress" the voice of Fordragon booms, carrying power and authority that comes with experience. "I hope your time here remains without trouble and with great purpose. What is it you wish to ask?"

"Milord, I-" Thanatos starts

"Please, young one. I am no lord, merely a servant of the Empire." Fordragon chuckles. "That said, referring to me by military title would be appropriate."

"My apologies. Grand Marshal, I wish to enter your service as a mercenary. Please, command me as you see fit." Thanatos says.

"You certainly got the jump on the contract, eh? It just so happens I have a job opening up right now. I need mercenaries to track down and kill the Neo-Halfling insurgent commander called Sandheaver. He seems to be coordinating local bandit groups and giving my groups one hell of a time patrolling the area around Halflingshire. The problem has gotten to the point where my troops can barely enter the Burial Pits to deal with any undead." He pauses for a moment, as if to consider something deeply. "I will not be able to provide you with military support. My troops, as per Imperial Army regulation, cannot engage in non-military policing. Sandheaver is smart, hiding behind petty criminals so that I can't bring down the fire of the Divines on him. As compensation for this added difficulty, I'll pay you double the standard merc contract. 100 gold pieces if you bring me his head. I know inflation has really messed with the worth of coins, but 100 should be enough to sit comfortably for a bit." he finishes. "Does that sound like a contract you'd want to pursue?"

"Yes. But I am certainly going to need backup. I can't take on the entire bandit population of Halflingshire myself. I mean shit, that's like half the population right there." Thanatos replies.

"Well, there is not much I can do there. I suggest waiting until more mercs show up, but you're not going to get paid to sit around at the fort." Fordragon states bluntly. "What of the rest of you? Merc work as well?"

"Actual Grand Marshal, we require access to the Burial Pits to fulfill our various tasks, though none associated with the Imperial Military." Nina states.

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that. Every traveler that gets killed by bandits or undead is either more revenue for Sandheaver, or another walking corpse to worry about. Thus, I have forbidden access to the Burial Pits. I am sorry. Until Sandheaver is dealt with, I cannot permit entry to anyone." Fordragon says dourly.

" Then what if we help take out Sandheaver? Your new merc is already looking for help with that, right?" Cordelia asks diplomatically. Both Nina and Karyuu make pained expressions and suppressed hissing noises at these words. Alicern indicates no response.

"If you take out Sandheaver, I will provide immediate access to your group into the Burial Pits. I will have to split the merc's reward, seeing as you're now working with him. However, in exchange, you can claim any loot you find during your quest. Consider it all exempt from Imperial taxes, at least in my jurisdiction." Fordragon replies.

"I see no other way to get my job done. Fine, I'll do it." Nina says with a sigh.

Karyuu snorts, and says "Estanna certainly loves to test me. Fine, I shall go, until the Burial Pits are free to travel."

"There is no way I'd survive out there alone anyhow. I may as well tag along." Alicern says.

" Well, that got resolved quite nicely."Thanatos says with a grin. " I look forward to hunting Halflings with you all!"

Cordelia pauses, her task yet incomplete.

"Grand Marshal, I know the conduct of the Imperial Guard is your business, as is reprimandation for their ill actions… I feel you should know that there are portions of the Third Army Group who are harassing and robbing travelers on their way to the fort. I can attest to this personally. The border crossing near Ribben seems to be particularly egregious." Cordelia states.

The Grand Marshal pauses a moment, hand on chin in contemplation. "Hmm.. I had heard reports from my more loyal Guardsmen of such activity. It seems that the idea of _For The Empire_ does not often ring with some of my men… I can assure you, a time will come in which they are properly punished for their crimes against country, and personal insult to my army." he says definitely.

"Farewell, Grand Marshal. We shall return soon with our quarry." Cordelia replies.

"The pork counts as "loot we find during the quest", right?" Thanatos says, gnawing on a now cold sliver of pork.

"Quiet. That second group should be showing up any minute, if those fools were telling the truth…" Nina says tersely.

In preparation for the second ambush, the party hides the bodies of the previous group, along with as much evidence of their demise as possible. They thoroughly explore the spider borough, which thankfully only held one such beast. The borough runs alongside of the road through the center of hill-valley, holding two usable entrances on the far right end and middle of the structure, with the far left being unusable. Nina and Thanatos take the center entrance, hoping to bait a few bandits into a narrow ambush route. Alicern waits at the far end, ready to begin casting her hermetic magic upon those still waiting outside of the ambush slit. Upon the hill, facing opposite of the ambush site, Karyuu waits behind the bushes, ready to unleash his powerful sorcery upon those in the valley. At the end of the valley, Cordelia hides behind rocks, waiting until the others act before charging in to break the surviving bandits.

"You seem grumpy. What, did you not get any pork?" Thanatos teases.

Just then, five bandits came into the valley.

"Fae'n hell. The last guys didn't even put up their campfire correctly! I know their squad is full of slobs, but this is a bit much!" the bandit at the head of the pack remarks.

"Quiet. I don't understand why we bother working with you bwbachs. Damn idiots love giving away our position to anyone listening" says a dour-looking Halfling.

"Come now boss, this route is always quiet. Hardly worth even patrolling." replies the bandit.

The band mills about for a few minutes, looking for ideal camping sites. Only the Halfling stands attentive. He is not cut of the cloth of bandits. He is a radical, a Neo-Halfling, bent on the revitalization of his race, and taking vengeance upon both these bwbachs, or useful idiots, who had failed his race in the Great War. Above all, he wished to take vengeance upon the greatest evil his people knew, the Elves. He knew combat, knew the signs.

"HALT UNIT!" he barks.

He slowly bends down, placing his head against the burned grass.

"Flame blast. Recent. Ground is still warm and the grass still smells freshly burned." he growls.

"FORM UP! FACE THE BOROUGH WITH TWO DOORS!" he roars the command. He then pulls out two small, metallic, ball shaped objects on strings.

"MASK AND BREACH!" he roars, throwing the objects in front of both borough doors. The objects explode in a thick fog, blinding those within the borough.

"Shit! We need to play this safe. Get further back in the room so you can see, I'll stay at the side of the door." Thanatos whispers in a hushed tone to Nina.

Alicern, to their surprise, rushes through the door at the side of their borough.

"I can't see anything out there. If they break in on my side, I'm dead. If they try to flank you here, I can cover you." she says, somewhat out of breath.

"This is some plan B, eh?" Thanatos replies.

"We can only hope the others are fine…" Alicern says.

Thanatos hears footsteps outside the door. Then the handle moving. Though he is unsure, he thought he saw the light in the doorframe change. He stabs, hitting something wet, and was rewarded with a whimper and thud of a body. He grins at his success, only to feel the sudden, overwhelming pain of a blow to his side. He throws himself away from the door, hoping to avoid the next blow. A large bandit weilding a great spiked mace charges through the door in pursuit, deftly avoiding his fallen comrade in spite of his size. He is about to swing again in an attempt to finish his mark when his eye explodes with the impact of an arbalest bolt at close range, completely incapacitating him. Seconds later, Alicern lets out a cry of warning, for another bandit is charging from her old position at the door. She casts a chilling line of cold at the bandit, drastically slowing his advance, giving enough time for a very incensed Cordelia to charge through the door and skewer the now chilled bandit.

Above the field, Karyuu watches. All but two foes are felled, though these last two are quite dangerous. One bandit wields a wicked looking crossbow, with the Halfling preparing to toss another device. Karyuu has quite the funny idea to neutralize both, without ever giving himself away. He crouches in the bush, he takes a deep breath, and he watches the strands.

 _Human_

 _Human_

 _Halfling_

 _Human_

 _Human_

 _Human..?_

 _I'll just need to keep that to myself, I suppose!_ He thinks to himself, with a private chuckle.

 _Now, to manipulate the strands…._

He sees the one connecting the man with the crossbow, and begins to read.

 _A son. An angry father. A broken mother. A tiny grave. One more grave. Another grave. A screaming woman. Thrashing. Blood on the sheets and floor. The forest is cold. The fire is not. The flesh screams. He does not. A crossbow. Memento. Hunting. Father. Memory. Dinner. A borough. Commander. SHOOT!_

Karyuu's vision returns, snapping back to focus by an explosion and scream of the Halfling. The bandit with the crossbow stands, stunned. His aim, focused on his commander, now missing an arm, blood seeping from shrapnel wounds. The shock ends a moment later, with his jugular being pierced by a small crossbow bolt. Now only the commander remains, who limps to the center of the valley.

"Hold there" Cordelia says coming out of the borough, quickly followed by the rest of the party, who then move to surround the Halfling. "Your wounds are grievous, we can heal you and let you go, but only if you tell us the location of Sandheaver." she continues.

"Silence, wretched bwbachs! You betrayed our trust during the War of Annihilation, and now you expect me to trust those who use filthy Elven magics?!" he snarls, blood drizzling out of his wounded mouth.

" I swear, wretch, we can heal you regardless" growls Karyuu from above, "and we can really drag out this process, up until you give us what we want."

The Halflings grins. _Killed by some freak from another world? Just like my family? No, I won't give my enemies the satisfaction of choosing how I die!_

The Halfling suddenly breaks into a song, broken and garbled from his many injuries.

"Wait…" Alicern begins, listening closely to the Halfling's words. "Stop him! He's singing the anthem of the Halfling Republic! He's about to-"

The Halfling attempts to draw a long, ceremonial knife from his side, only to realize his arm is gone. He works his other arm around and draws the jagged blade, plunging it into his jugular.

Cordelia gasps. Alicern stares wide-eyed. The rest of the party reacts as if a gust of wind had just hit them. All stand in silence for a moment, unsure of how to address the situation.

"So.. what do we do now?" Thanatos says, throat dry.

Karyuu finds his way down the hill quickly, and kneels near the corpse of the Halfling, rifling through its clothes.

"By Sehanine! What are you do-" Cordelia stammers in surprise.

"This one was a Halfling, one actually connected to Sandheaver. He might have information on him we could use." Karyuu says, focusing on his task, not the reactions of others.

Moments later, he finds what he sought. A missive, reading:

 _To all Halfholm Reclaimationist Partisans:_

 _A reminder that all arms, rations, and equipment otherwise necessary for continuing our glorious struggle against traitors and monsters are to be centralized at the compound north of Halflingshire._

 _A secondary directive to all cell commandants:_

 _Grand Commandant Sandheaver will be patrolling cells A-G north of Halflingshire. It is recommended that all Partisans and bwbach irregulars be ready to receive him and submit for inspection._

 _For Green Hills, Happy Boroughs, and Restored Dignity!_

 _We Fight!_

"Looks like we've got him." announces Karyuu. "North of Halflingshire. Looks like Sandheaver is making the rounds. With luck, we can ambush him there."

"Looks like our friend wasn't very good at remembering directions. He's sketched a whole map on the back" Nina says, gesturing at the crude, bloodstained drawing on the back of the parchment.

" Good. Though if this is what his underlings are like…." Thanatos looks toward the Halfling's corpse.

"We will just need to be ready for quite the fight. For now, I suggest we get moving. It looks like the compound is a little over half a day's march. With luck, we can jump him at night, do this without alerting the entire syndicate." Nina says, already packed and itching to leave.

"True. Let's march," replies Karyuu.

It was a bleak march. Though no conflicts took place, the spirits of the party sagged upon looking at the ruins of Halflingshire. Even from outside the perimeter, one could see what the Great War and Exterminatus Campaign had wrought upon the city. Great impact craters from Elven magic bombardments still made roads impassable and Halfling boroughs unlivable. Packs of stray dogs attacked Halflings in the ruined streets, and armed bands of thugs openly robbed Halflings in broad daylight. The green hills of the Halfling homeland were replaced by a rough, red and brown soil, in which nearly nothing grew. Great storms of dust would make the air difficult to breathe, driving all but the most prepared or foolish back into their boroughs. And yet still, bands of armed Halflings could be seen standing outside buildings, each with their own variation of the old Halfholm Republic's flag, making themselves known as minor Neo-Halfling Syndicates. This was a dead city. It died in the Great War, and now it shambles about, still consuming the lives of all those who attempt to live, just like the hordes of undead but a day's march away.

The party soon comes upon a barn, emblazoned with the same symbol worn by the Halfling previously encountered. This must be one of the cell hideouts.

"Nina, what do you see?" asks Cordelia.

"Looks like a two story barn. No buildings of note around it. Very open. I see two Halflings out front and one up near the rafter window. Looks like he has a damn arquebus." Nina reports.

"I feel like assaulting from the front isn't going to work. That arquebus will tear Cordelia's armor to shreds, and go through the rest of us like paper. We also have no idea how many Halflings might be inside the barn." says Thanatos.

"We're going to need another way in…" says Alicern, thinking aloud. "I've got it. A few of us disguise ourselves, sneak in, take out the arquebusier, and then rush the two out front."

"I like it, but two things; what happens if there are more inside, and who the hell is going to pass as a Halfling here?" Thanatos replies.

"Nobody. We need someone to play a bandit underling and for Karyuu to play along." Alicern says, glancing to Karyuu with a hopeful expression, only just barely covering her nervousness at making such a request.

"Play along how?" Karyuu grunts, raising an eyebrow.

"Prisoner again." Alicern says, still maintaining her painful smile.

"You're joking. These goons will probably kill me on the spot." Karyuu growls at Alicern.

"I don't think that's true. Even the boneheaded Guardsman kept you alive for a bit, just to marvel." she continues her pained smile. "If you just..play along and double down on the, uh, "freakyness", I think they'll let the two of you in." Her face starts to hurt from maintaining this unnatural expression.

"As much as I hate to admit it, and I DO, you may be right…. I'll play along, just this once." Karyuu growls in the lowest pitch possible.

"I'm assuming I'm the dashing rogue?" Thanatos remarks with a self-assured grin.

"Actually, you're a bumbling bandit. Why would Halfling Ethno-Nationalists hire on anybody but subservient humans? They don't like uppity ones." Alicern replies.

"Geeze, I don't know how well I can play the part of idiotic criminal" replies Thanatos.

Cordelia suppresses a small laugh.

Thanatos shoots a short glare at her.

A few minutes later, a disheveled looking man approaches the barn, with a large hooded figure in tow.

"Hey! Bwbach! Get the hell away from our compound. Your treacherous kind are supposed to stay OUT of the base! Go on, get!" shouts one of the Halfling guards at the gate.

"Wait, friends! I know it's not protocol, but there is something crazy I found out on patrol a bit west of Halflingshire!" Thanatos shouts.

"If you show us some shit you got from an Imperial Guard I swear to the Divines I'll put you down right here." growls the guard.

"Nope!" Thanatos says as he pulls the hood from Karyuu's head.

Karyuu roars a mighty roar, causing both the Halflings and Thanatos to retreat a few steps in surprise.

" Estanna's tits! What is this horrible beast?!" shrieks one of the Halfling guards.

"Not the faintest clue! Thing was half starved outside of a borough when I found it. Fed it some food I found and got it walking."

" Why did you bring it here?" the guard asks.

"Didn't trust other bandits. Probably would eat it or some shit. Thought I'd give it to you guys to show Sandheaver. Bandits get a bit of a trickle down when you guys do well, so it's a good idea to stay on your good side." Thanatos said with a smile.

"Hmm. Doesn't explain how you found out about this place. Don't think I've seen you before…" says the Halfling, eyes narrowing.

"Ah, that makes sense! I'm pretty new. One of the Halflings out there tried giving me directions to a bandit camp, but I think he mismarked it, because I ended finding this place. Ran off hoping to bump into the bandits, and found this guy instead!" hastily replies Thanatos.

"Well bwbach, we do appreciate the gift… You hungry from trekking? Not much to eat out there. We have some food and drink inside. Don't worry, we got plenty. I would say watch out for Pap, but that loaf is already passed out drunk. Hopefully your gift will make up for his drunk-ass." says the Halfling guard.

"Much appreciated, friends!" Thanatos beamed.

 _The plan works and I get a snack? Blessed be the Divines!_

Upon entering the barn, Thanatos is relieved to see that there is only one drunken Halfling to contend with. "Don't worry fella, I'm just gonna handle your friend real quick" he whispers to the unconscious Halfling. Karyuu waits on the lower level of the barn, as to not draw attention. Thanatos stealthy ascends to the second floor of the barn, only to see that there is a third floor occupied only by the arquebusier. Thanatos sneaks up behind him, ending his life with a quick piercing thrust through the back of the skull. Pulling the corpse back inside, he waves the "all-clear" signal to his companions outside, and then does the same for Karyuu inside.

In but a few moments, it is all over. The guards are taken completely by surprise as they are charged by a band of adventurers from the front and ambushed from behind by Karyuu. They died in moments, with little difficulty. The barn had been secured, the plan executed flawlessly. In the moments after the ambush, Karyuu quietly dispatches the sleeping Halfling. "A necessary killing," he said.

"Now that the hard part is done, it's time to wait for Sandheaver." declares Thanatos.

"We must prepare a new trap." Nina says, taking stock of the barn's layout. "There are two entrances, one which we came through, and a side entrance connecting to the road. I imagine that is where Sandheaver will come from."

"It also seems our Halfling friends were quite fond of alcohol" Cordelia says, gesturing to large barrels of heavy liquor.

"Hm, I have an idea." Alicern declares. "We will create an explosive trap at the roadside entrance. We will need to leave the barn soon afterword, but it should prove devastating in combat. We will soak most of the barrels of alcohol in yet more alcohol, to increase flammability. We still place as much of it in proximity to the entrance, and detonate once Sandheaver comes in." Alicern smiles. "It's a little bit simple, but effective. There's a reason people love using fire to win fights."

"I love it. Plus, we destroy an entire cell hideout, on top of killing the Syndicate boss." Thanatos remarks. He frowns at a brief realization. "Could we loot this place before we blow it up? Who knows what they have stored away here?"

"I don't see why not. But please, we need to make haste." Alicern replies.

At the end of their search, little of value was found. Around 20 gold pieces, poor quality smokegrass, some sort of jerky, and pamphlets used to recruit for the Halflingshire Reclaimationsists.

At last, the time had come. The sun hung low in the sky, and each adventurer made ready for combat. From atop the rafters, Nina alerts the others to the oncoming danger, five Halflings, with four holding a tight formation around the fifth. Perhaps this was Sandheaver?

He approaches the door, his long, white hair blowing in the bitter night winds. In all of the years since the War ended, he never could get used to the cold, dead, howling of the ghost of his home. His vanguard opens the farm door, and they all walk in. He picks up a smell on the wind. The smell of alcohol. Too much alcohol. Before he can stop the advance, a great fan of flame erupts from the rafter facing the entrance, and the world explodes.

His ears ring and eyes seem blurry, yet he cannot find any of his vanguard. He lies outside of the barn door, for it seems he escaped with his life, for now. He stares into the barn, the fire spreading, yet not all consuming. He watches in a rage as a scaled beast and group of humans scurry down the rafters and attempt to make their escape….

"Did we get him?" Thanatos asks

"I'm not seeing a fifth body.. Maybe we shoul-AAAH" Karyuu roars. He reels, feeling a searing pain in his shoulder. He feels something solid, almost eating away at his flesh with a sort of radiating, infernal pain. Before he can get a grip on it, another blast rips through his side, bringing him to his knees. He makes eye contact with his assailant; a badly burned Halfling with long,white hair, knives adorning his tunic under the flowing robe. The Halfling takes another knife, and lobs it, only for it to be intercepted by Cordelia's shield. He snarls in anger.

"Come here to finish Fordragon's dirty work, eh?" Sandheaver roars. "I assure you, I won't die easy. I can ensure you won't either!"

"Alicern, get to Karyuu! He needs a potion!" Cordelia shouts.

Nina fires a crossbow bolt at the Sandheaver, which he dodges completely. He may be old, but he is certainly no stranger to combat.

In a rage, he charges at Nina at full speed, seeming to completely sidestep Cordelia and her swings.

He wields two daggers, more than enough to tear away at a Cleric.

Suddenly, a shape comes before him. A man wielding a fine sword.

 _No matter_ , he thought, _I have killed far greater men with far less._

"Let's try something a bit more fair, eh?" Thanatos taunts.

"Coming from the crew who ambushed mine. I can't tell if you're dishonorable or just not very clever." Sandheaver spits a reply.

The two exchange blows, neither making anything more than grazing hits. However, the poison in Sanderheaver's blades begins to wear on Thanatos.

" I guess neither of us are very honorable, huh? Poisoning your weapons before a fight?" Thanatos pants, feeling lightheaded.

"I will do what is necessary to restore my homeland to the old glory. No matter method, nor how many deaths I must inflict. You damned humans have no idea what it is like to lose your whole world!" Sandheaver snarled. "And now, I will make one last kill on my way out!" he said as he drew a dagger, aiming right for Thanatos' neck.

"Feel the judgement of the Black Serpent!" roared Nina, thrusting a bolt into the side of Sandheaver. The bolt exploded with a foul, distorted noise and coloration, a black growth seeming to flow through the Halfling's entire being, causing him to thrash in agony as it consumed him.

Karyuu was already back on his feet, though still nauseous from the potion, throwing the corpse of the Halfling onto his shoulder like a rucksack. Cordelia and Nina both hauled the weakened Thanatos out, while Alicern held the rear guard, in case of any surprises. They made haste back to the fort, as to avoid being harried or overcome by angry Neo-Halflings looking for revenge. At the entrance, they were forced to dispose of Sandheaver's body, taking only the head and a curious item; a soldier's identification tag, belonging to a Bram Sandheaver of the Third Imperial Army Group.

They brought both to the Marshal.

"I thank you for this deed. The roads will be much safer for all good people and soldiers without this Neo-Halfling group terrorizing the countryside." He pauses, looking at the soldier identification marker of Sandheaver.

"Sir, did you know him?" asks Cordelia.

"Yes. I try to know all men under my command. He was a veteran of the Great War. Like most Halflings, the Extermination Campaign broke him. For a time, I helped him with his Neo-Halfling group, with sponsorship and even training, back before they took a more Halfling purist line and resorted to petty banditry and terrorism." The Marshal sighs. "And now he's just another name on the ever mounting list of good men dying for the wrong reasons." He is quiet for a time. "Please, feel free to stay in the fort tonight before you leave for the Burial Pits. You could use the rest, and there should be more than a few grateful soldiers who'll want to say thanks."

Thus, the party broke for the evening. Nina wrote in her travel log of what she had seen that day, taking special note of the personalities, strengths, and weaknesses she perceived in the events of that day. Thanatos took a trip to the fort's tavern that he deemed as "necessary" after nearly dying. Karyuu did his best to barter with the local magic items vendor, yet found intimidating a member of the Imperial Army in their own stronghold to be more trouble than it was worth. Cordelia went to the tavern as well, though did not partake in drink, only food and bedding. Alicern paced about, trying to determine what they may face in the Burial Pits the following day.

By dawn , they were ready to set out, not knowing what may lurk in the dark pits of the dead land.

Hello all! I will try to leave smallish notes at the end of chapters to encourage interaction with readers. I am very interested in feedback, critique, and questions relating to the story (and I guess other stuff if you're really curious lol).

As I have laid out in my profile, I will be posting both a regular chapter upload and Lore Chapter back to back, meaning the next chapter is a lore one, to be posted almost immediately. I will try to put out a chapter twice a month, but I cannot make any iron guarantees!

If you have a specific part of lore that you'd like me to write about in a post, please ask in the comments! If enough interest in a subject is shown, I would be more than happy to dedicate a post to it.

Lastly, sorry for going dark for a bit at the end of December-early Jan. Very very busy time, with holidays and apartment details.

I hope everyone enjoys the story!


	4. Lore Excerpt 2: History of the Great War

Excerpts from _Historia Calradia: A Record of Calradian History_

Nearly a century ago, the greatest and most destructive conflict in the history of the continent began. From across the Sea of Songs to the east, a great armada, flying banners never seen, began an assault on the beaches of the Republic of Halfholm, and the Duchy of Southshore. The invaders slew great swathes of brave Calradian soldiers, using magics never before encountered and beasts unimagined in the nightmares of sleeping children. Within weeks, the whole of Southshore's navy, greatest in Calradia, was all but obliterated. Halflingshire was in flames, and it seemed the war would be over sooner than later.

Our foes in this war were the Elves of the Direnni Celestial Imperium, a brutal, caste society of the twin races of High and Dark Elf. The cruel and wild magics they employed were unlike any on the continent, making their magisters, High and Dark, feared by all who knew of them. The disparate and divided armies of men, Halfling, and others stood little chance.

It was in this dark hour that the fateful decision was made. Heinrich Andalsfurt, King of the Kingdom of Altford and liege lord of Aberrang and Southshore, proposed the idea of a united Empire. He argued that only by consolidating forces and putting aside petty squabbles could the continent and its peoples survive. Miraculously, the other lords of the continent agreed. First came the Republic of Halfholm, already besieged by a great many foes. Next came the Free City of Adria, for the Gnomes feared the impending danger of Elven domination, and what it may mean for their ventures. Then, the Jarldom of Varangia, in spite of years of animosity and war with Altford. Soon after, the Count of Sylvannia and the Freehold of Stangard declared their support. At last came the secretive Wood Elves and reclusive Dwarves of Grofheim, stirred from isolation by impending doom. It was with this great host that the advance of the Direnni was stopped on the beaches of Southshore and in Halfholm, and in which the war entered its darkest phase.

For the next 71 years, generations of Calradians fought an increasingly nightmarish stalemate against the Elves and their servants. Southshore, with its vast vineyards and villas, was battered into a desolate wasteland. Despite this, a hero of the Great War allowed them to hold strong. The exiled pirate, Umbar Summerstone, came back to his homeland to harry the Elven fleet and organize a defense, later being declared the wartime Duke of Southshore. Though he would die years before the war's end, it is said Southshore would have fallen, if not for him and his family.

This provoked a horrid response from the Direnni. They began great bombardments of sorcery, tearing great holes in the earth and obliterating cities and fortifications. No theater was more affected by this than Halfholm, where great swathes of land still bear great holes in the earth, the most pronounced in the Burial Pits. In conjunction with these bombardments, the Direnni declared the formation of "The Army of Chains", or a vast legion of captured Humans, Half-Elves, and a great host of undead horrors. This horde was let loose on both the bays of Merry and Mathom, as well as swarming Halfholm. It was during this great surge that the Direnni declared The Extermination Campaign, in which they determined to turn Halfholm into the central base of operations for conquering the continent. This would be accomplished via the wholesale extermination of the Halfling race. The marks of the campaign cannot truly be healed, for an estimated 75% of the Halfling population was annihilated, and the land broken by the constant bombardments and ravenous hunger of the undead. The Calradian Imperial Army tried to hold back the onslaught, but failed to save Halfholm.

The war continued like this for another fifty years, of little change and great loss of life. Entire generations of Calradians lived in a world in which there was no peace, and most never lived to see it, when it finally came. The tide turned when a hero emerged. A vagrant-turned-officer with a brilliant mind was forced into a suicide charge on an entrenched position, and was captured by the Direnni at the age of 16. He was made to serve in the infamous Army of Chains. The Elves were surprised at his skill in both combat and command, and after two years gave him command of a large group of Half-Elven and Human slave soldiers, numbering roughly a thousand. After a year of loyal service with his commission, his time came. The young commander cried out "For The Empire!", and charged the Elven command positions. This revolt inspired many more slave regiments, and soon, tens of thousands of slaves were in full rebellion up and down the coast, throwing the Elven line into disarray. The Elves lost their entrenched positions along the length of the coast, becoming isolated in small pockets along the coastline, with only the Southshore theatre remaining stable. The young commander, hero of the war, was only 19. He went on to command the entirety of the Imperial Army for the remainder of the war, later settling into his current position as Grand Marshal of the Imperial Third Army Group. Under his watch, the command by men of high birth was abolished, turning the Imperial Army into a merit-based force. Any and all races were allowed and encouraged to join, for in his time as a vagrant and slave, he knew the value of all peoples. This man, the savior of Calradia, was named Raedric Fordragon.

After their route in the Battle of Esterlond, the Elves consolidated their armies in the south, holding it, but making no forward progress in the war. After 75 years of war, the Elves presented an offer of white peace, the Treaty of Southhorn. The Calradians has survived the onslaught.

The immediate postwar brought triumph and tragedy to the people of Calradia. It seems that the Holy Calradian Empire, as it was now called, would be here to stay for the time being. Its institutions were formalized and Calradia stood united. However, the great helmsman of the Empire, Emperor Heinrich Andalsfurt, passed away soon after the war's end.

It has been but twenty years after the signing of the Treaty of Southhorn, and Calradia has yet to recover. The Empire is plagued with problems and discord. Yet, as loyal citizens of our fair Empire, we must have faith that we shall continue on, standing united against the threats arrayed against ourselves and our comrades.


	5. Not a chapter, just a map Take 3

Map of Calradia on imgur.

Backspace once before the "i" in imgur, put the "im" and "gur" together and backspace once on the "/" before the a to get to image. Heard FF doesn't like direct links!

The word EEEM GERR literally gets deleted when I post link, so I'm trying a workaround

Don't forget th and the two slashes before word eemger

They really don't want me to link good lord

The ride never ends

imgur /a/y4pChYl


	6. Chapter 3: The Burial Pits

Chapter 3: The Burial Pits

" _Don't preach to me about criminality and rashness! Your homeland doesn't writhe and gnash. You say I am a disturber of the peace, whereas I say our war never ended!"_

 _~ Commandant Gordo Honeyhill, before his execution by Imperial authorities_

The five companions departed Fort Easthold soon after sunrise, fit with provisions deemed necessary for the expedition. Upon leaving the safety of the fort, they went further east, following a patchwork of faded dirt paths winding into weathered hills rife with debris and ruined hovels….

" I don't understand." Cordelia says with a puzzled expression, "You were at the tavern for a great deal of yesterday evening, yet you seem to have your wits entirely about you but hours later…"

"Ha! In my time as a wanderer, I have learned how to recover quickly. It is a trait that many lack, and one that I take pride in!" Thanatos replies with a cheery grin. His eyes drift over to the other companions. "Geeze, you fellows didn't even partake in the amenities of the tavern, yet you look worse than I do. What were you doing all night?" Thanatos asks nobody in particular.

A particularly drowsy Alicern is the first to reply, half yawning. "I needed to go over what common combat forms of undead we may encounter, to better prepare. That turned into preparing more potions, a few acids and weapon coatings… one thing led to another and then the sun came up," she says, giving a tired smile.

Karyuu lets out a low, frustrated growl. "Are you meaning to tell me I busted my ass last night trying to haggle some potions for nothing?"

"N-no... I'm sorry, I should've said something beforehand!" Alicern stammers a reply.

Karyuu sighs, not willing to lay into someone who only meant well this early in the day. "Well, at the very least I bought some emberstones for dirt cheap. With that extra firepower, I doubt we will even need the extra potions I haggled…"

"That would be some luck. Though I believe we will need more than brute force to achieve our aims here." Nina states. "I would prefer to simply be stealthy…"

"Well, you're both correct and incorrect in what you say" Cordelia replies. "We certainly will need more than brute strength to combat the undead, yet merely sneaking will not allow for us to avoid them. They were created for war, and should not be underestimated."

The party ascends a path through a collection of ruined boroughs, which were in surprisingly good condition. The doors and windows remain unshattered, and no damage, outside of obvious age, is noticeable, in contrast to most other structures in the area. However, it quickly becomes apparent why this place is uninhabited. Further up the slope, only a few paces into the hillside village, hastily-erected barricades lay abandoned. Most display heavy damage, a mixture of splintered wood, torn cloth, and a vile, dark coagulant collected on the ground and on jagged splinters. Of particular note is a discarded blade, built to Imperial Army standards. There is no sign of the Guardsman, only more of the viscous liquid.

"That doesn't look like blood..." Nina says, focusing on the dark coagulant.

"Right you are. I couldn't say what sort of undead produced it, but that...substance, seems to be present in all forms of undead." Alicern replies, eyes scanning the surroundings for any lurking threat.

"Strange that a weapon famed for inability to tire or starve would still bleed. If it can bleed like any creature, why were they such a threat?" Karyuu growls.

"Are." Cordelia quickly replies. "The true danger of the undead isn't their endurance or lack of fear, but the fact that we know little about them… Nobody had seen one before the war, and they were not supposed to be magically possible. We have learned much, but there is still so much we do not know."

"Up there." Nina says in a hushed tone, gesturing at a structure further up the path, past the barricades. Boot prints, indicating multiple figures, heading down the path. Investigation of the trail leads to a barn, its door ruined and covered in more coagulant.

"We must not fight them inside… I will lure them out. Ensure we are not surrounded." Cordelia says tersely to the others.

"Where are we supposed to strike?" Thanatos asks.

"The head. That's where the control stone is likely housed. If you can't do that, dismemberment is a good stopgap." Cordelia replies.

"Stopgap?" Karyuu says, raising an eyebrow.

Before anything else could be said, Cordelia smacks her armoured gauntlet onto her shield, and gives a brief but carrying shout. For a moment, there is silence. This silence is broken by the sound of something pushing along the barn door. A vaguely humanoid shape becomes visible. A great deal of skin has sloughed off, leaving a vile, rotted frame of dark red flesh and blackened masses of necrotic skin. It bears severely torn clothes, with some of the fabric now seeming fused with the fleshy, wet skin of its owner. The creature, though haggard and slouched, stands a little under six feet, a twisted mockery of a human. Its cracked sockets holds nothing but abyssal dark, like a half-finished doll. With a strangled gurgle, the creature groans and begins to creep toward Cordelia.

Thanatos drew his blade and began to advance on the target.

"Wait" Cordelia says in a terse voice. "Wretches rarely are alone."

As if on cue, three more of the creatures emerge from the barn, each in varying stages of decay. One of the Wretches seems uncannily fresh, and bears a broken suit of Guardsman armor.

" Do not waste any magic on these creatures. They are dispatched with a blade easily enough!" Cordelia shouts, charging toward the closest Wretch with her shield. The charge against the broken creature is devastating, with the crunch of bone being audible to the rest of the party. Cordelia then dispatches the creature with a well placed thrust through the forehead.

Following her cue, Thanatos closes the gap between himself and the undead with haste. He stabs his rapier through the eye-socket of the closest of the Wretches, dispatching the creature with a grin. As he turns to face the new undead before him, the skull of the creature seemed to suddenly cave in on one side while exploding on the other. In bewilderment, he looks to the party, making eye contact with a satisfied-looking Nina lowering her just-fired crossbow. The final undead struggles to leave the barn, and is quickly confronted by Karyuu, dagger in hand. As he dispatches the Wretch, he is thrown to the ground by the sudden arrival of yet another Wretch coming from the barn, another Guardsman, this one missing most of his torso on the left side. The threat is short lived, as its head is suddenly lit aflame by a bolt of fire, producing a sickening *pop* as the control stone is destroyed by the magic. Alicern looks with satisfaction at her work.

Cordelia turns with irritation to Alicern "Why waste magic on these creatures? Wretches can be dispatched by a squire, and are not worth straining your body with casting. We have a long way to go until our task is done, so being wasteful is a poor choice," she says with slight exasperation.

"Well, what was I to do? Bash him with my spellbook? I am not a frontline fighter." Alicern replies with a hint of snark. She sighs, realizing that she will need to explain herself.

"You seem to misunderstand the degrees of magic, though it makes since, seeing as you have not studied such things." Alicern continues confidently. "Most magic users are tired and even wounded by casting more spells than their body can handle over the period of a few hours, true, but there are still a plethora of minor spells that Hermeticists like myself can cast without any physical strain. Such as my handy bolt of flame." she smiles. "Believe it or not, what I just cast at that Wretch is considered a "cantrip", or party trick."

"What sort of parties were the people who came up with THAT going to?" Thanatos remarks.

Cordelia nods her head. "Forgive me, I am not as well versed on magics as I should be. If you can manage your abilities, I will leave it to you." she says stoically.

"I really don't think this is time for a conversation about magic and understanding." Nina says. "We need to check the barn. Don't want to be ambushed from behind by stragglers…"

"You are correct." Cordelia replies. "I will take point."

The party enters the barn, and are greeted with a gruesome sight. The room smells thickly of iron, and the air itself seems to hang heavily on every surface. Near the center of the room, a fleshy mound, roughly four feet high and wide enough around to meet either wall, dominated the attention of the party. It seemed to be in a subtle, but visible state of contraction and expansion, like a fleshly removed organ. All stood frozen in a mixture of disgust, wonder, and fear.

"By the Divines... what is that?" Thanatos says, barely containing his revulsion.

"We need to move. Now." Cordelia says, suddenly looking back at the barn door, as if expecting to see something. " Alicern, do you have any holy water?" Cordelia says, startling the entranced Wizardess.

"I-I have some water fortified with radiance-based magic…" she replies, nervous at the sudden worry of her companion.

"That will work. Give it to me." Cordelia says.

Upon acquiring the water, Cordelia marches over to the mound in the barn, and pours some of the magical substance on the mound, which sizzles and begins to melt, revealing its make. It is a mound of corpses. Human, Halfling, and beast, all were becoming melded into one mass, which now writhed and came apart, revealing a pile of small dark purple stones at the center, which Cordelia smashes underfoot.

"By Estanna…" Karyuu whispers under his breath. "What is this?"

"Ziggurat," Cordelia replies, her voice conveying no emotion. "Recently deceased are brought to central locations by various combat forms. These mounds are the result, which act as production centers for new undead. It looks like we found this one early, as it only had a few Wretches guarding it…." Cordelia suddenly takes a knee, placing her hand to the ground, and proceeds to invoke her own magic. "Holy Estanna, allow me to see what lies beyond. Let my mission not be dissuaded by the danger of undeath…" She is quiet for a moment, before rising to her feet. "I detect no undead in the vicinity. We must make haste and move on. The Wretches do not collect bodies for Ziggurats, meaning that there are far more dangerous undead about…"

The party needs little encouragement, and they quickly set off, ascending the hillside. As time passes, it seems that every borough they see was more ruined than the last, some bearing small groups of Wretches. Near the summit of the hill, a group of Wretches blocks the path, necessitating combat.

" Between the five of us, we have around three each. Or should we use magic to take this group out with some more demanding magic?" Nina asks.

"As much as I hate to waste spells on Wretches, we need to move quickly. We are not far enough away from the Ziggurat we came across. We should find somewhere defensible and wait for whatever was collecting corpses come to us, as opposed to it catching us off guard in the open." replies Cordelia.

"Allow me." Karyuu growls. He widens his stance, his legs now shoulder's length apart. He places his scaled hands together, and suddenly reaches upward, akin to grabbing a rope. He pulls toward his center and opens his palms toward the crowd of Wretches, launching a wave of flame. Roughly half of the Wretches are engulfed in flame, hobbling toward the party until their frail sinews were consumed by fire. The remaining Wretches look onward with their vacant eyes and outstretched hands, marching over the ruined remains of their fellow undead.

"A fine hit. Now, let's finish them off!" Cordelia shouts, beginning a charge forward.

A bolt from Nina's crossbow misses its mark tearing through the jaw of one of the creatures. Alicern ignites the head of another, frying the stone within and earning another kill. By this time, Cordelia has decapitated the two nearest undead to her with little effort.

"How did any of you curs survive the war?!" Thanatos shouts to the crumpled body of the Wretch he slew moments before. "Ha! Too slow!" he says after effortlessly sidestepping another Wretch, piercing its skull in a showy twirl of his blade. It is quite clear to the party that Thanatos was very much enjoying his dance with the dead. There are now but two Wretches remaining, facing down a gleeful Thanatos. "Oh, now that's hardly fair!" Thanatos says with a grin. He dashes toward the Wretches, impaling one through the head. To his surprise, his blade would not budge from the skull of his slain foe. While some would have balked at this, Thanatos continues to grin. "Ah, you almost had me. I even tried making it fair for you. Too bad!" he says with a laugh, pulling his hand-crossbow from his coat, and firing a bolt into the head of his assailant. Thanatos lets out a whoop of celebration, an energetic smile on his face. "Sure, it's pretty easy fighting off slightly more active cadavers, but it truly is quite a rush to be in the thick of it!"

Cordelia ignored his cheers, instead going back to the decapitated heads and impaling them on her sword. Her expression is dour.

" Were we not saying that we needed to get moving? I know Estanna Pallys have a big problem with the undead, but that seems a little excessive" Thanatos says, looking over at her.

"You should always destroy the control stones. If not for the sake of being careful, then out of respect. Despite your glee at killing these poor wretches, I am glad you destroyed the stones in the first go." Cordelia responds quietly.

"What do you mean?" Thanatos replies, his smile diminishing.

"Do you know how undead are made?" Nina speaks up. "Sure, raising the dead has been on Calradia far before the Great War, but it was almost entirely unheard of, and never used for anything outside of very specific rituals for Sehanine worshippers." Nina continues, approaching the corpse of a Wretch. "When someone dies, their soul becomes another strand in the Weave. Most magic users cannot physically see the Weave or the strands connecting a mortal soul to the Weave. Sorcerers, however, can see it. Such magic was unseen on Calradia until the Great War, due to the fact that Sorcery is the way that most Elves use magic." Nina says, her hand plucking out the broken control stone out of the Wretch's head. "These stones are essentially condensed Weave essence, and operate as anchors and fuel cells for the undead. An undead is a soul that has been ripped out of the Weave and inserted into a corpse, held there with the stones."

Cordelia pauses a moment before adding to Nina's explanation. "These poor souls are fully conscious of their condition. They feel the rot, the flesh, the smell. They know what they are doing, but have no power to resist, for they are controlled by the will of whoever created them." Cordelia plunges her blade into another head. "They are an army of tormented slaves, suffering until their master is dead, or the crystals are destroyed." Cordelia finishes, expression grim.

The party is silent, only the howls of the wind can be heard, and the scent of death is carried on the wind.

Thanatos begins, "...Does that mean what we saw in the barn….?"

"Yes." Cordelia quickly replies. "We need to get moving, the sooner our work here is done, the sooner we can be rid of this horrid place."

The party continues in silence until the summit of these ruined hills is reached, and they are presented with a view of the Burial Pits. Deep craters mark the surface, separated by vast ruins of boroughs, dilapidated trees, and abandoned frontline positions from the Great War. Among all of this crawl distant shapes, some as small as ants and others standing above even boroughs.

"...Where do we begin?" Alicern says aloud.

"To start, we need to find shelter, to ensure we are not being followed by whatever was building that Ziggurat." Cordelia replies. She looks down the hill, into the Burial Pits before them. It seems the face that they must descend is filled with the skeletons of trees. "This forest is not welcoming. Nina, do you see anything we could use as shelter?" Cordelia asks her companion.

"Yes, actually. We seem to be in luck." she gestures to the wood. "I see what looks like an old Imperial Guard tower near the edge of the trees. If we can quickly traverse the wood, it should serve as an excellent position to both prevent ambush and plot our next move." Nina says.

"A sound plan." Cordelia replies. "We will not stop in the wood. Prepare to move quickly, and be sure to stay close. We don't want to be caught alone by anything out here." Cordelia orders with authority.

The party hastily makes their way through the forest. Mercifully, they see little to no sign of hostiles through the wood. Though, even if they were to try to see foes, they would have great difficulty, for the underbrush, though decrepit, seems to obscure much of their vision. The trees are mostly bare of leaves, but stretch high above their heads, dimming the light by which the party cautiously treads.

"Alicern, we can't stop here. Keep up!" Cordelia says to the Wizardess, who is clearly straining at the rapid pace.

"Just..give me a moment! I'm a scholar, not an adventurer." she pants. _Why did I do this? I could have just stayed at the Academy. I could be reading books about this terrible place instead of dying out here in it!_ She thinks to herself, before tripping over a loose stone, falling on her side. _Damn it! Why am I here? Why did I even go to the damned school? If I didn-_ she stops herself. _I am here because no matter how much things change, Mom and Dad will still be there. Meli will always be there. I can't let them down!_ She thought of home, of Lindenvale. She thought of the little glades along the river Boon, of explaining to Meli what all the different bugs and animals were. She begins to stand up. In this moment, she sees something like out of an old Sehanine tale. A buck, though heavily obscured by underbrush and darkness, peeping out from behind a tree. _No matter how much things change,_ she thinks, _there will always be home._ The deer is startled by the sudden approach of the party.

"Alicern! Are you ok?" Cordelia says, voice full of concern.

"I really don't think straggling here is a good idea. Can you stand?" Thanatos inquires.

"I'm fine, just a tiny bit bruised." Alicern replies, dusting herself off. "Hey, I saw a deer just now. Amazing how life still finds a way to exist, even in a place like this!" she smiles.

Cordelia freezes in place. "You saw what?"

"A buck. I couldn't tell what kind, but it was just over there behind the tree." Alicern replies. "What's the matter? You look a little pale." Alicern inquires, detecting a disturbance in Cordelia's composure.

"Nothing lives in this land." Cordelia whispers, drawing her blade. "Everyone get ready for a fight, I think we might have been too slo-" she is interrupted by the snap of a branch above her. Cordelia looks up.

There are four of them. Each waits high in the trees, grappling branches with their nimble, sinewy limbs to hold them in place above their quarry. Their skin, no, _hide_ is gnarled and rotted, covering roughly half of their gaunt humanoid frames. Their feet are not uniform, and instead are vile amalgamations of various types of creature. Talons are the only shared trait. Their arms are similarly grotesque, some seeming to be multiple limbs fused together into one, sharing one feature, large, saber-like attachments along the forearms. There is nothing uniform about their visages. A vaguely-canine skull. A head of a pig. A strangely reptilian maw. The largest among them possesses the horrendously rotted skull of a large buck, with twisted antlers attached. Before Cordelia can say anything, they fall upon the party.

The first beast lands atop Nina, sabered arms producing deep, bloody gashes along her back, knocking her prone beneath its weight. The beasts placed one of its foot talons in her shoulder, piercing it and forcing Nina to cry an agonized shriek.

"Get behind me!" Cordelia roars, raising her shield and blade to the closest rest of the party quickly fall behind her, as the creatures begin to form a circle around their prey. The great horned beast charges Cordelia, emitting a chilling sound, a mix between an elk call and human scream. She swings, anticipating its moment of impact. She is mistaken. The beast, with great agility, jumps back to avoid the blade. It then lunges forward before the swing can be completed, catching the blade in its large-saber growth on the arm. It effortlessly flings the blade aside. In a panic, Cordelia raises her shield, only for the monster to be practically on top of her, prying the shield away with its second arm. It pierces her side with its free saber, causing her grip on the shield to break, to which the beast responds by flinging the shield aside and piercing her with its newly free saber. Cordelia collapses, and is tossed aside.

"Don't let them surround us!" Thanatos shouts, barely containing the panic in his voice.

"HOLD STILL, DAMN YOU!" Karyuu roars, a ray of frost emanating from his hands, blasting the vile swine-faced monster. It produces a bloodcurdling squeal, something akin to a whole pen of pigs being slaughtered at once. The monster attempts to charge Karyuu, only to have its head destroyed by the impact of three purple darts, launched from Alicern.

Thanatos stares down his opponent, a man with the twisted face of a mangy dog, trying to read its jerky, unnatural movements. Thanatos knows the agility of these monsters, having seen Cordelia cut down effortlessly by the stag-man. He needs to adjust his tactics. _This is no simple beast,_ he thinks to himself, _but a monster._ It read Cordelia's movements, and completely dominated her in the fight, showing an intelligence akin to a swordfighter, not a hound. Perhaps he must become unpredictable to win. The beast charges, with the sound of a pack of rabid dogs. Thanatos holds his ground. A moment before impact is made with the beast's outstretched sabers, Thanatos rolls forward, under the beast. The monster tumbles in confusion, its velocity propelling it past its intended goal. In its haste to stand up, it fails to check behind him, where the Duelist materialized, stabbing the beast in the back of its head, claiming victory. He smiles with pride at his victory, but is quickly drawn back into the dire situation. He sprints toward Alicern and Karyuu, but is violently knocked aside by the stag-man, and thrown against a tree. Thanatos attempts to rise to his feet to face the monster before him, only to double over in pain. He notices the large gash in his side, likely from the stag-man. _Now is not the time to be lazy!_ He thinks to himself, before realizing he cannot feel his feet. Or his arms. Or his legs. Or his chest…. The stag-man turns from him, instead eyeing the remaining prey.

"Repeat that attack, this time with the lizard!" Karyuu shouts to Alicern, who merely nods in reply. The beast hisses at Alicern, who opens her spellbook and raises her arm to cast another ray of frost. The spell launches, but misses entirely, for the beast ran sharply to her side, avoiding all frost. Karyuu roars again, utterly unintelligible. In anger, he hurls the first spell that comes to mind, with three purple bolts appearing and severely wounding the beast, which is finished off by Alicern who launches a small bolt of flame into the creature's skull.

Before anyone is even aware of its presence, the stag-man produces a deep wound in Karyuu's side. Blood gushes from the wound, and Karyuu howls in pain, before falling down.

Alicern and the stag-man are all that remain. The stag-man emits another unworldly call, its sabers soaked in the blood of Alicern's companions. Alicern feels herself backing up, away from the monster. _Ghoul._ She thinks to herself. _The Hunter Combat Form. A mix of man and beast, they hunt in packs, sometimes tracking targets for hours until they reach an ideal ambush spot. Primarily use speed to overcome opponents, as well as immense blades that secrete a paralytic agent…. How do I win?_ Alicern is gripped with fear. The undead were things best left to be read about, as opposed to ever meeting in person. However, the knowledge of the theoretical is her true strength. _Even your greatest strength can be your greatest weakness, and thus your downfall._ She thinks to herself, a mantra she has held for so long, a mantra that helped her make the choice to accept this mission. A mantra that applies to this creature as well. There is space between Alicern and the Ghoul, though it almost certainly plans on closing it very soon. Acting with haste, Alicern takes out a flask on her side, and shatters it a few feet in front of her. She readies herself for the moment of truth. The Ghoul charges, producing another monstrous combination of elk and human screams. It reaches the broken flask, and sprawls onto the ground in surprise. It attempts to rise, but is pulled down by a trapping and elastic substance. It lets out a high-pitched scream. Alicern prepares another spell, hoping to incinerate the Ghoul. To her horror, the Ghoul begins tearing away at itself, freeing its top half from the sticky muck. Just before the Ghoul reaches her, Alicern bathes it in fire emanating from her palm, buring the sinewy flesh and hide from the horror. The monster, however, yet lives. It twitches and snarls in a beastial rage, unable to reach its prey but bound by the will of its master to continue the hunt. Alicern shakes with exhaustion, the flurry of spells taking their toll. But her task is not complete. She hobbles over to the monster, raises her spellbook, and splinters the stag's skull, releasing it from its eternal hunt.

Alicern realises she must act quickly if she is to save her companions. The sounds of the fight are likely to draw attention from yet more undead horrors. She takes survey of the party. Nina is badly bloodied, but releases shallow breaths. Even if Alicern removes the Ghoul's paralytic toxins, she is far too damaged to get up and keep marching. Karyuu is very much conscious, snarling with irritation at his inability to move toward his hand to his health potion. Thanatos is in a similar position, back against the tree and calling for assistance. Cordelia is wholly unresponsive, her armor pierced by the Ghoul's onslaught. Alicern checks her pulse, and is relieved that Cordelia yet lives, albeit in dire need of healing. Alicern sees the task before her, and begins to organize a method of reaching the tower but a short distance away.

"Karyuu, I'm going to need you to carry Nina to the tower. She lives, but is in no state to travel on her own feet. Can you do that?" Alicern says to Karyuu.

"That sounds fae'n lovely, but I cannot move anything. What did these damned creatures do to me?!" He snarls in irritation.

"Ghoul's blades are coated in a paralytic poison. It won't kill you, but it will freeze your muscles. Makes it easier to kill targets and haul them back without a fuss." Alicern replies, rummaging through her traveling pack. Her face lights up, and she brings forth a pair of small, white rocks. _I'm starting to really appreciate my late-night paranoid preparations!_ She thinks to herself.

"I am going to place these stones against your skin. They will be very hot and somewhat painful for a few minutes, but they will draw out the toxins. Once they turn black, remove them and drink your health potion. You should be set to travel then," Alicern dictates to Karyuu.

"Could I drink my potion when I can grab it again? This bleeding isn't pretty…" Karyuu growls in response.

"Do not do that! The base of most potions is alcohol, which is considered a toxin by the bodies of most creatures. The stone will absorb the effects and become useless to combat the paralysis." she replies with urgency. "Do not worry, you should be fine to travel in a few minutes. I am going to check on Thanatos and start with Cordelia." Alicern says, placing the stones on Karyuu's chest.

Karyuu winces in pain and swears, but otherwise is fine. Alicern next sees to Nina. Her weak breaths do not inspire confidence, yet she yelps in surprise as the stones are placed against her back, reassuring Alicern that she will survive if her task can be accomplished hastily.

"Thanatos, I'm going to need you to help me carry Cordelia to the tower. I'm not strong enough myself, and your wounds seem minor." Alicern says to Thanatos, who bears a grim expression.

"How am I to do that if my spine is broken? Coming here was a mistake." He mutters in resignation.

"What do you mean? I'm not seeing any wounds on your back." Alicern asks quizzically.

"I tried to stand, only to collapse against this tree. I am broken." Thanatos replies, sullen and forlorn.

"Oh! That's just the Ghoul's poison. After these rocks turn black, you should be good as new. Drink your potion after you remove them, otherwise the potion will be useless." Alicern replies with a sense of relief.

"Poison?" Thanatos says with a wince, either from the hot stones on his lap or from the burning heat on his embarrassed cheeks upon realizing how idiotic he must have sounded.

Alicern rushes over to Cordelia's side, having started the process of recovery on the movers for her attempt at saving Cordelia. Alicern observes her for a moment, trying to determine the damage. Blood pools around Cordelia's mouth, and the deep puncture wounds in her torso indicate damage that is internal as opposed to external, likely requiring more than a potion. Alicern hastily pulls out her remaining absorption stones, only to be stopped by Cordelia's weak movement of her hand. Cordelia is making an attempt to speak, but these efforts seem to produce little more than pained groans. She feebly attempts to paw at her neck.

 _How is she moving?_ Alicern thinks, electing to inspect Cordelia's neck. Alicern feels a metal chain, which reveals a humble, utilitarian amulet with a black stone inside a small compartment at its center, being designed in a way that there is constant contact with the skin. _Ah! She had her own stone as a precaution. That will make this easier!_ Alicern thinks to herself, smiling at Cordelia. Alicern removes the now toxic stone as to prevent poisoning anew, and placed a new stone inside the amulet. Alicern decides to attempt to use a potion on Cordelia, but gets only about a quarter of it down before Cordelia spits most of it back up, writhing in pain. It seems that more serious measures must be taken to assist Cordelia with her wounds. Alicern suddenly hears something moving behind her. Whirling around, she is relieved to see that it is just Karyuu, now with Nina slung over his back

"By the- could you hold her in a way that won't make her wounds worse?" Alicern snaps at him.

Karyuu grunts, conveying little reaction to her anger, but slowly rearranges Nina's position to be lying face down in his arms, preventing contact with her wounded back. Moments later, Thanatos shows up, seeming to be wholly recovered from the wound in his side.

"Good to see you up and moving. I'm going to need your help moving Cordelia to the tower. Be careful with her sides, her injuries are severe." Alicern says to him.

"Was the potion not effective?" Thanatos asks, concern apparent.

"No. Potions are good for surface damage and immediate issues. Deep wounds like this need magic or a professional healer. We can likely save her, but we need to find shelter if I am to do this right." she replies.

The party, now relatively mobile, makes haste to the ruined tower. Mercifully, it is not locked, and no obvious signs of the undead are apparent. The tower seems to have been utterly abandoned, with little in the way of supplies being present. Fortunately, there seems to be enough chairs and tables to start a fire and sit on. Cordelia is set down on a table, moments before Alicern herself collapses.

"Alicern?" Karyuu asks, turning to the Wizardess splayed across the ground.

"I..I am fine. My casting has taken a toll on me, and I need to rest…." Alicern replies, eyes drifting toward Cordelia's medical table. "All that needs to be done is perform some basic stitching on the wounds, have Nina use some of her magic to augment that work, and down a healing potion to finish the job. I just need...to stitch.." she continues, words being mumbled and vision unfocused.

"Do not worry, I can do the stiching. Rest. We will need to be ready to move sooner rather than later." Karyuu growls in reply to Alicern's obvious inability to perform the task.

"..But..how do you.. stitch?" Alicern asks, quickly fading.

"Call it lots of practical experience. Our Paladin will be fine." he replies.

Alicern attempts to mumble a response, but fails to make more than unintelligible murmurs, instead focusing her energy on placing her head against her backpack and pulling her robe close, as if as a blanket. Karyuu has already begun his task, removing Cordelia's armor and revealing the fine gambeson beneath. Her body, despite the damage, is very muscular, but in less of a brutish way as opposed to being lean and sleek, similar to that of a runner or courier. Even in this state, Cordelia finds enough bashfulness to give a slight blush, which Karyuu either ignores intentionally or is simply completely oblivious to. His bedside manner is nothing to speak praise of, yet he sets to work. Meanwhile, Nina is being filled in on her aspect of healing Cordelia.

"Can you walk? I'm thinking that your healing will be needed sooner rather than later" Thanatos says to Nina, who sits atop her own pack, hoping to avoid having her wound meet the stone walls. She groans slightly as she fumbles for a health potion, but produces it moment later, quickly consuming it.

Nina's face strains as she produces a sharp inhale. Though her wounds are not as severe as Cordelia's, thus not requiring the multi-step healing process, it is enough damage to have the effects of a health potion be particularly biting. "Give me a second. I'm still feeling pretty woozy, but I can still do my job." she replies to Thanatos. "I didn't exactly cast much, considering I was immediately paralyzed by one of those creatures." Her eyes wander to Alicern, who has curled up in her robe in a deep sleep. "I am surprised at her. She struck me as a novice, but she must possess at least a decent amount of talent." Nina pauses for a moment, "Still, very naive, but worth having around."

"Well, aren't you friendly." Thanatos replies with a frown. "Come on, let's go see if Karyuu is done. Maybe he will be worth keeping around, too…"

The pair walk over to Cordelia's table, startling Karyuu, who seems to be engrossed in his work. Not a thread out of place. The puncture wounds have been closed with stitches, and there is no evidence of mistakes.

"My, you didn't tell us you were a doctor!" Thanatos exclaims, clearly impressed by the work.

"I'm not. I just have experience with stitching." Karyuu grumbles.

"What kind? It's not everyday that you come across someone…" Thanatos continues.

"That is none of your concern." Karyuu replies coldly, ending the line of questioning. "Nina, are you ready to cast?" He says, not concerning himself with Thanatos.

"Yes. A moment." Nina replies. She produces the marble and obsidian serpent icon from her pocket, and begins a invocation.

"Oh great Norgannon. Divine Firstborn. Warden of Time. Keeper of Order. Grant me the power to undo these wounds, to better serve your will!" Nina shouts, eyes intensely focused on Cordelia. Cordelia winces in pain, for the radiant magic is doing its work. Already, tissue is being regrown, reinforced, and redeveloped at a greatly accelerated rate. In but moments, the pain subsides, Cordelia's body almost completely restored.

"I think I am fine. I will just need someone to mend my armor and then-oh my!" Cordelia exclaims, doubling over onto the floor as she attempts to stand. "Divine's mercy! It's like my entire body is tightly bound. My muscles are screaming!" she shouts in surprise and frustration.

"You forgot your potion. Did you think your freshly-made new muscle would just happily carry you off right after birth?" Karyuu says matter-of-factly. "I will mend your armor. In the meantime, drink a potion and lie still. As long as Alicern is out of it, we are not going much of anywhere." Karyuu says, already eyeing the frayed Paladin armor.

"Thank you, Karyuu. I shall remain here." Cordelia replies.

"On the floor? If you say so." Thanatos says with a smile.

Cordelia chuckles. "Truly, I am in awe at your lack of chivalry. Could you please help me back to the table?" Cordelia asks.

"Certainly. I should have a spare potion on me as well. We have not really been that possessive of them, so feel free to it." Thanatos says, providing his shoulder for support.

"You have my thanks." Cordelia replies, wincing as she hobbles toward the table.

The two sit on the table as Cordelia drinks her potion, waiting for her new muscle to adjust.

"...So you came to Halfholm for mercenary work? Is that your job?" Cordelia asks Thanatos.

"In a vague sense, yes. I generally just travel about doing odd jobs, not staying in any one place for too long. I'm not connected to any mercenary companies or guilds, just a freelancer." Thanatos replies.

"If you travel so often, you must have seen quite a bit of the continent. From where do you hail?" Cordelia asks.

"Well, I don't have the dark complexion of a Southeron, nor do I have the bizarre accent of a Varangian, so that narrows it a bit. Can you guess?" Thanatos says with a small grin.

"Hmmm… You seem a little dandy…" she says, face wrapped in deductive thought.

"Dandy?!" Thanatos says with an indignant blush. "What kind of dandy has my skill with a blade?"

"...but it seems like you have a good character…" she continues, face betraying a small smile.

Suddenly, her face lights up. "I think I've got it! While you certainly have the wiley nature of an Altford noble, you are nowhere near as pompous. I'm thinking you are from somewhere in Heimat. Perhaps from Greenmont?" she says with confidence.

Thanatos grins. "I'm afraid not, detective. I'm actually from further north, in Aberrang. Got tired of picking berries and shooting deer all day, so I decided to see the world. Can't say I regret it." he says.

"Damn. Here I was thinking I could quit Paladin work and become a detective full-time." Cordelia replies. "Where do you think I am from?"

"Like most Paladins, you carry yourself nobily, so that won't help me find out where you are from. You have fair, but not pale skin, so you're probably not from Sylvannia or Varangia. Your golden hair is a rarity in Aberrang, so you are not from there. Your body is exceptionally fit, indicating a culture of hard work, but with enough nutrition to really reap the rewards. You're not Southeron, and Arborean Paladins are practically nonexistent…" Thanatos thinks aloud. "Now that I think of it, you started trying to deduce where I was from by using Altford as your starting point, meaning that it must be close to my target. However, you also seemed to have a negative opinion of Altfordians, meaning you probably don't live there yourself…. You are from Heimat...Whitegarden?" he asks, making eye contact with Cordelia.

"How did you..? Wait a moment, how did you make a jump like that? Heimat is huge!" she exclaims.

"Simple, detective…" Thanatos smiles. "One of the most important families in Whitegarden is house Silverlight. I didn't need to guess!" he beams.

"Wait just a moment now! So you were giving me a lesson in places I am not from to show off, then? ….Or was this an attempt to comment on my appearance?" she responds with a sly expression.

Thanatos blushes, unaccustomed to being called out on his game of geography. "Well, I _am_ pretty good at guessing where people are from, this time it was just too tempting not to play around a bit." he says.

"Alright mister _detective_ , how did you know about the noble house Silverlight?" Cordelia asks, clearly humored by Thanatos' reaction.

"Well, they often have a lot of work for travelers like me, so I try to seek them out to either help them out or avoid them, depending on the family. I have heard good things about yours, though I have never been offered a job," Thanatos says.

"That is kind of you to say. It has been too long since I visited home. Once I finish my Crusade, I hope to become the Sentinel of the temple of Estanna in Whitegarden." Cordelia says.

"Ah, so you are relatively new to the order? A Paladin's Crusade normally takes up most of their life." Thanatos asks.

"Yes. I have been on a few other expeditions around Halfholm, but generally my work tends to be focused in Heimat. This is my first time going any real depth into The Burial Pits." she replies.

"Is it everything you dreamed it would be?" Thanatos asks, sarcasm apparent.

"Oh, everything and more. Nothing inspires positive thinking like fighting an army of enslaved undead," she replies with equal sarcasm. Cordelia then stands by the table, giving her limbs a stretch, the sweet catharsis apparent. "I think I am going to check my armor and stand watch. We are not going further until Alicern is fit for travel." Cordelia says, approaching Karyuu. The armor has responded well to his magic, the damage of the previous encounter entirely mended.

"Everyone should get some rest, but stay vigilant. We don't want any more surprises today." Cordelia states, equipping her refurbished armor.

As the party settled in for a rest, Cordelia's watch began.

 _I cannot be defeated like that again. I am the one who protects, I am the one who knows these creatures. If I am not careful, I could doom us all. I am a champion of Estanna, and I cannot fail her._ She thinks to herself, eyes watching the pits. The festering heart of the undead awaits, a sin of the past left unburied.

 **Hello readers!**

 **It has been quite a while since I posted, and I sincerely apologise for that. This is my last semester of school that I really need to put effort into, so I have been swamped with work and other obligations. Nonetheless, expect another chapter to be released in March. If worst comes to worst, I will be putting out a chapter once a month as opposed to twice a month due to workload, but that policy will change back to two monthly once the summer starts.**

 **I hope everyone is enjoying the story! Please feel free to leave comments, critiques, questions and such if you feel so inclined.**


	7. Lore Excerpt 3: The Mechanics of Magic

Excerpts from _Arcanum: The Study of Magic 5th Edition_

Magic exists in everything. All things living, inert, or otherwise in existence can all be traced back to the Weave, the original source of magical power. Yet magic follows no uniform rules, and it varies in form, schools, Drawing Source, and application. This book was written to give a brief understanding of basic magical concepts, and should be seen as a primer, not final word, on magic and our knowledge of it.

 **I: Drawing Sources**

There are three main "Drawing Sources" of magic that we know of. Though all are fundamentally based in the Weave, they differ on how lifeforms can interact with and manipulate them. They are presented in no particular order.

The first to be discussed is Hermeticist magic. This Drawing Source of magic is the most scientific and quantified. It is based in a fundamental understanding of the academics of magic, such as alchemy, chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics. Hermeticist magic is generally not applied outside of lab or academic settings, seeing as it draws less on loose, residual magics like Thaumaturgy and is reliant more on an understanding of theory and abstracts. However, talented Hermeticists often carry great spell tomes on their persons, allowing the casting of laboratory and combat spells outside of a lab setting. It could be argued that the greatest use of a student of Hermeticism is not their raw magical power, but their huge range of useful skills acquired in academic settings. Hermeticists tend to be colloquially known as Wizards, Alchemists, or Professors.

The second to be discussed is Thaumaturgical magic. This magical source is based not in academic study or science, but instead through the manipulation of an "ambient" magic that exists in everything, a result of the original creation of Vaelia and the Divine Rebellion. Long before there was ever an Imperial Academy at Altford, or even an Altford, the peoples of Calradia knew of this magic. Shamans and Druids would perform rituals and miracles, healing wounds or shooting fire from their hands. This is an ancient magic, used by nearly every magic user not formally taught at an academy. The user must feel the ambient magic around them, focus it, and maintain the connection. While most Calradians cannot "feel" or at least harmonize with this Drawing Source, it is by far the most common, with many who can harmonize becoming clergy, Paladins, and other talented individuals.

The third Drawing Source to be discussed is also the least understood, as of this edition. This is the magic known as Sorcery. It involves directly interacting with the Weave itself. This magic was unheard of until the onset of the Great War, for it seems Sorcery is the primary magical source for the Direnni Elves. While it has been rumored that native Calradian Wood Elves can practice Sorcery, this is unconfirmed, and may actually be rooted in racial animosity, which equates Wood to Direnni Elf. Nonetheless, it is hypothesized that the Weave is more literal than first realized, with "strands" of the Weave able to be "pulled" by those with magical talent and great strengths of personal will. This results in a very powerful, unrefined magic, being able to unleash far greater devastation, as well as manipulating forces thought to be unreachable by magic users, such as the manipulation of souls, the creation of undead constructs, and other, yet undiscovered properties. Calradian Sorcerers are almost entirely unknown, with laboratory replications of Sorcery being either ineffectual or disastrous. The study of Sorcery is also a concept of great controversy, with many denouncing it as "the work of the enemy". It has been hypothesized that Half-Elven folk may have an inherent Sorcerous talent, but we are unlikely to know, due to the mix of extremely high rates of suicide, racially motivated murders, and poverty keeping the Half-Elves a thoroughly alienated population. Practitioners of Sorcery are simply called Sorcerers by most, though some less educated sorts may refer to them as "demons" or simply "Elven Sympathizers".

 **II: The Soul**

The soul is more than a mere metaphysical concept. The soul is the animating force behind a living organism. It is its personality, will to live, and natural instinct given intangible form. Until the Great War, the manipulation, visualization and otherwise study of souls was almost completely abstract, yet with the new field of Sorcery being opened, we are learning that is in fact something that can be manipulated, though not necessarily created or destroyed. It has been hypothesized that a soul is at first raw magical energy, being based in the Weave. With the Divine Rebellion, great concentrations of magical residue leaked into Vaelia, setting the stage for life to begin, and accelerating the Divines' own pet projects. A soul is created when this residue binds to a form, becoming its life force, as well as the personality of more intelligent beings. A soul cannot be manually condensed, thus an artificial soul is impossible to produce. Instead, the residue continues to form new souls, and these souls go back to the Weave upon their lifeform's death. As the Weave accumulates more lost energy, the more that said accumulated energy will leak back into Vaelia, like a bowl overflowing with water. Not all souls have equal power, with the souls of more intelligent lifeforms having greater magical energy than lower life forms such as shrubs or rabbits. It has also been hypothesized that the Divines, if they truly walked the world, were likely beings of nearly limitless magical energy, being some of the first living creatures born of the Weave.

While Sorcery has confirmed a number of these theories, it has also raised disturbing questions about the nature of the soul and the consequences of Sorcery as a magic. According to Sorcerers, all living things are directly linked with the Weave by a "thread", or a force that connects the material body and world to the Weave, the source of magical energy. It has been determined that Sorcerers can literally _see_ these threads, and they are open to manipulation. These manipulations manifest in forms such as psionic domination and distortion, leaving all at the mercy of powerful Psionic Sorcerers. Beyond the practical danger of psionic manipulation, lurks the issue of necromancy and the very nature of Sorcery as a magical Drawing Source. The use of the undead as self-sustaining environmental garrisons has confirmed that it is indeed possible to retrieve souls from the Weave, for Direnni Necromancers forcibly tear souls from the Weave and implant them into cadavers, binding them to their will. However, it is the method of retrieval that should raise the greatest concern. The Sorcerer finds a loose "thread" to pull, bringing with it a soul to condense into a control stone, which acts as an anchor and fuel source for an undead. If one tears away at the individual threads of a tapestry, what happens to the tapestry? It slowly unravels, coming undone and destroying the original work. While such an assertion is still a theory, it has produced a great degree of concern within the halls of the Imperial Academy.


	8. Chapter 4: The Unburied

Chapter 4: The Unburied

" _One forgets. Time does not. The past shall remain, bleeding into the future. The two are bound together eternally."_

Norgannon, The Warden's Mandate

"We need to move, and soon." Nina says to her companions, returning from her watch shift.

"Agreed. Everyone is back in fighting shape, and I wish to be free of this land before nightfall. Divines only know what may lurk in the dark…" Cordelia replies, already suited up and ready to march. "What did you see?"

"On one hand, I believe I have located the relative center of the region, a cluster of large boreholes with scattered debris. It wouldn't be more than a little over an hour away. On the other hand, the road to said location is crawling with undead, including creatures that stand far taller than ourselves, as well as clusters of Ziggurats." Nina states grimly. "Our task is not complete. We need to find the source of these undead. We cannot turn back, despite the danger."

"Agreed. It wouldn't be right watching the rest of you just walk off into the sunset to die horrible deaths. I also think it'd be a lot harder to find new work if I'm the only survivor of a crew…" Thanatos says, his tone betraying a hint of nervousness behind his grin.

"I am ready to go. I still have a dozen or so absorption stones left, so we will be able to counter an attack by Ghouls. I feel well enough to cast as well." Alicern says. "However, I sincerely doubt I will have enough strength to cast our way through such a horde…"

"No matter." Karyuu says gruffly. "Estanna wanted me to come to the center of this disgusting hellhole for a reason, I refuse to fail now."

"Right. Estanna will guide us to victory!" Cordelia says with confidence, taking point as the party begins to move out of the ruined tower.

The party cautiously leaves the fortification, taking special care to survey their surroundings for Ghouls or other ambushers. Upon leaving the treeline, the party is greeted by a great sprawl of ruined boroughs, though a complete lack of undead. The party moves slowly, keeping their eyes peeled for movement. A small hill appears in view, giving Nina a surprisingly decent scouting position to look further down the route from.

"Faen. It seems all of the undead from these boroughs have coalesced along the road to our destination. We even have some of the big ones to contend with… If we keep to the shadows, we might avoid them, but then there's the horde of Wretches, and there is no way to avoid them." Nina says in a hushed tone to the others.

"Damn it all." Cordelia says. "We should prepare for a fight, and a tough one." She says, drawing her blade.

"I have a better idea. Instead of rushing into a fight we may not win, why not misdirect?" Karyuu says with a glint in his eye. He rummages through his pack, producing an emberstone. The tightly compressed stone shines a dull but discernible dark red color in the afternoon sun, giving little indication of the magical properties it yields. "Alicern, could you strike this in flight with a bolt of flame?" Karyuu asks the Wizardess.

"That shouldn't be a problem." she replies."What are you planning?"

"Normally, these types of stones are just used to augment spellcasting of their particular magical subtype, greatly increasing the power of the spell. You would use it as an added variable of focus when casting, similar to certain amulets and trinkets magic users are so fond of. However, shitty stones like these are cheap for a reason, they have a habit of being drained of power after a single use." Karyuu says, mouth widening to a grin. "However, in my time I have found a very useful quirk to them. Their ability to act as a focusing variable allows for them to be overloaded remarkably easily, turning them into a cheap little explosive on-par with Imperial Army standard. If I use the stone as a focus, it'll start absorbing any kind of fire magic thrown at it, but since it is cheap shit, the two of us should be able to detonate it without using anything but cantrips."

"Brilliant!" Alicern says with a voice full of hope. "With those, we can easily blast away the undead!"

"No. You're missing my strategy." Karyuu says. "We will detonate a stone a few boroughs to our left, and quickly run a few boroughs to our right. The undead will be drawn by the noise, and will filter out of the roadway to investigate. Even if they all do not go, those that remain should be able to be feasibly engaged."

"Excellent plan. We await your mark." Cordelia says, wiping sweat from her brow in relief.

"Any plan that involves us being less likely to die is a plan I can get behind." Thanatos says. Nina nods in agreement.

"Alright. Get in position." Karyuu growls.

The party decides to split for the detonation, seeing as the three others could not cast fire magics. These three quietly make their way to a borough some 300 feet away, taking shelter in a thoroughly dilapidated borough, becoming very difficult to spot. Meanwhile, Karyuu and Alicern walk 150 feet in the opposite direction, finding a spot overlooking a pile of debris some 50 feet away.

"Are you ready? We will need to sprint to meet with the others once this goes off."

Alicern nods in the affirmative.

Karyuu takes out the stone, closing his eyes briefly. The stone in his hand flashes for a moment, and becomes dark again. However, the color slowly begins to change from its dark red hue, becoming a more distinctive mix of red and orange. Karyuu grunts and hurls the stone in an upward arc. He points is other arm upward, draws toward his chest with it, and launches a firebolt at the descending stone, striking it. The stone shines a bright orange, as if made of flame itself.

"Now!" Karyuu barked to Alicern.

She expels a bolt of flame from her gloved finger, which makes contact with the stone still twenty feet above the ground. On impact, the stone bursts into a violent fireball, consuming the space above the debris and drawing air even from where Alicern and Karyuu stand, producing a thunderous boom of explosive force. The debris and surrounding boroughs immediately catch fire.

"Run! Back to the others!" Karyuu says, the pair breaking into a sprint.

The two cover the ground at breakneck speeds, making it to the abandoned borough. They do not dare waste time looking up the road, and risk being spotted by whatever could be coming.

"Well fae'n done! That's a sight to see." Thanatos whispers to the returning pair.

"What? I can't hear you well. My ears are ringing a bit." Alicern says, seeming to be trying with all of her willpower not to stick her fingers in her ears.

"Now let's see if our diversion was successful" Nina whispers, eyes never leaving the road toward the pit cluster.

For a few minutes, nothing stirs. Only the wind howling across the desiccated land can be heard, chilling the spirits of the hidden party, who await whatever comes with nervous anticipation. Suddenly, the shifting of rubble is heard in the distance. A solitary Ghoul pops its malformed head over one of the ruined boroughs, performing its role as scout with the duty of a slave. Moments later, many more Ghouls join it, scampering across the tops of ruined hovels to their new point of focus; a fire amongst the boroughs. Behind this vile vanguard marches a misshapen procession. The stench of age-old rot fills the air. Dozens of Wretches hobble alongside the great fleshy monstrosities towering above them. The hulk's flesh writhes, as if each wound on its body were attached to the string of a demented puppeteer. Yet the creature keeps pace, a grotesque example of wicked necromantic power.

The parade continues for another few minutes, until only a few straggling Wretches trickling down the road to coalesce the rest of the horde.

"Damn it. There are a lot of Ghouls." Nina says, biting her lip in frustration. "If we made a break for it, they'd hear us and be on top of us immediately. It's not like Cordelia is very sneaky in her plate to begin with…"

"What? Do you want me to strip?" Cordelia replies, voice tinged with annoyance.

"Quiet, both of you. We can try making our way through some of these ruined boroughs to get further up the road. As long as we do not make a lot of noise, we should be obscured from sight." Karyuu growls.

The party slowly begins to traverse the slew of rubble between boroughs. Karyuu's suggestion seems to have been the right call, with no undead taking notice. The rubble hugs the sides of rolling hills, allowing for the party to focus their field of vision to ensure they are not drawing attention. The party now stands wholly behind the undead horde, and the road is nearly clear of undead.

"Where to now?" Cordelia whispers to Nina, who is in the midst of surveying the way forward.

"The road itself leads into another ruin adjacent to the pits, but I doubt we can pull the same trick twice. However, it looks like there is some sort of cave very close to us. The entrance looks pretty small from here, so we shouldn't have to worry about being followed by a horde. At worst, a Ghoul or two." Nina whispers, pointing toward a crevice in a hillside roughly two boroughs away.

"I don't like the idea of enclosed spaces with the undead…." Thanatos whispers in reply. "Are we sure we can all fit inside?"

"No. But I don't see what our other options are." Cordelia replies. "Just keep on going as we have been, we'll come to a final decision when we get there."

The party continues their slow approach to the crevice, mercifully lacking in undead. The ruined boroughs are caved in and splintered, as if a great quake sundered the land. In a sense, it had. The Elven magical bombardment of this region was particularly ferocious. Even after the retreat of the garrison, the bombardment continued due to the dense population, striking fear into those foolishly remaining in their homes to the last. Those not killed by this earth-shattering firestorm witnessed their neighbors turn into weapons of war, and then they themselves became part of the growing horde. All that remains of this once verdant land are the broken boroughs and stench of undeath. Such a place is not to be traveled lightly, for both presented dangers unpredictable and deadly. As the party enters the next borough, a great crash is heard and Nina lets out a yelp of surprise.

"What was that?!" Alicern whispers in a panicked tone. "Nina!"

"Don't. Nghh. Move." Nina winces. She is hunched on one knee, for the other leg seems to have misplaced its step, crashing through a week portion of wood, now protruding into a basement below the borough the party stood in.

The party froze. That sound could not have traveled far…

A strangled, baleful howl is is carried on the wind.

"Damn it all! We need to GO!" Cordelia says, drawing her sword. The party makes ready for a mad dash.

"I need some help getting up from here, I think I stepped into a sublev- PULL ME UP!" Nina screams in sudden panic.

Karyuu hastily pulls Nina up from the hole in the ground, revealing the source of panic. Her leg seems to have been grasped by what lurked in the sublevel. It looks like a decayed human hand, the nails dig into the flesh on Nina's leg. Two thin, long fangs protrude from the malformed knuckles, and an eye rests upon the dorsal side of the hand, rapidly darting around the room, observing its prey. The party recoils in surprise.

"Hold still Nina!" Cordelia says, swinging her blade at the creature. Her strike is true, though Nina lets out a cry as her leg is grazed by the blade. The bulk of the creature is severed from Nina, leaving only its nails embedded in her skin. Nina scrambles from the small hole as many more of these monsters appear, their nest disturbed. "Quickly! Run to the crevice! Don't stop for anything!" Cordelia yells, stealth no longer being much of an option.

The party is thrown into a desperate sprint. Nina's leg bleeds freely, yet she keeps pace with the others. As they dash out from their infested hiding place, the cries of Ghouls are heard in the distance. The scream and scent of fresh blood have drawn them, and they rapidly scamper across the ruined boroughs in pursuit of their quarry. The false-spiders continue to flood from the ruined borough, swarming the structure as the party flees toward the crevice. The party reaches their destination in less than a minute, spurred on by the fear of horrible death at the hands of their pursuers. The crevice is not generous, requiring a single-file line to enter. Nina and Alicern are the first inside, not being fit for front-line combat. Next is Karyuu. Cordelia holds the rear, allowing Thanatos to retreat just as the Ghouls close the distance, standing but yards away from Cordelia's bulwark. She retreats backward, holding her shield to the mass of monsters. The false spiders have caught up as well, crawling on and over the Ghouls, as if to beat them in a race for food. Cordelia continues to back up, shield forward. The Ghouls are trying to cram their way through the crevice, with some climbing over the others in ravenous ecstasy. As she reaches a widening point, Cordelia's heart sinks, realizing the extreme peril of the situation. In this moment of doubt, a hand shoves her aside onto the cave floor, surprising her.

"GET BACK!" Karyuu roars. He holds another emberstone, shining a brilliant red. He clasps it in both scaled hands, raises them upward, pulls them back to his chest, thrusts one arm forward and opens his one of his palms, the other holding his fount of power. A roar like a furnace consumes the crevice, and flames like those out of old stories of the Divines envelop all creatures crammed inside, which elicit pained howls and shrieks. After a few moments, these shrieks stop, and the emberstone fades to a dim empty color. He then tosses the inert stone aside. "It is done. We cannot stop here, that is likely not the last of the Ghouls we will encounter. We must go deeper into this cavern." he says to his companions, who are still stunned at the display of power and miraculous stay of execution.

" Divines be praised. That was some feat of magic!" Cordelia says, voice filled with sincere gratitude. "..but you are correct. We cannot stay here any longer, lest we be ambushed again."

"Just give me a few moments, damn it." Nina says, grimacing as she plucks the decrepit fingernails from her leg. "Thank you Karyuu and Cordelia both. I thought that was the end of me back there. I just need to get these nails out and slap a bandage on the sword graze. Hardly a scratch." she says with a wince.

"Well, I suppose that is one way to rid ourselves of spiders…" Thanatos says, warily eying his dim surroundings. "You don't think..there could be more of those horrible little monsters in here, do you?" he asks to no one in particular.

"Almost assuredly. We need to get moving." Karyuu growls in reply.

Thanatos's eyes widen for a moment, and he places his hand a little closer to his blade, as if anticipating another swarm to strike at that second. "Shouldn't we close the way behind us? You could try that trick with the emberstones again."

"No. The fact that we can see anything, dim as it is, indicates that there are a lot of points where sunlight is sneaking through. Cracks in the ceiling and foundations. Do not blow anything up, otherwise we will almost assuredly die in a cave in. We will simply need to move quickly and hope we do not get followed…. Everyone stay on your guard." Karyuu says, eyeing the charred and blackened entrance.

The party begins to prepare for their journey into the dark. As Cordelia stands watch over the entrance, Thanatos peeks around corners on the path ahead, hoping to better anticipate the route. Alicern gives Nina a bolt of cloth for bandaging and a small vial of high grade alcohol to douse her wound with, as to not waste a health potion on a minor scrape. She then goes to Karyuu, who is sitting on the far end of the open area.

"You really saved us back there. I was too panicked to even think about the emberstones." Karyuu grunts in reply. Alicern is quiet for a moment, unsure if she offended the sorcerer. "I-I meant no offense…" she says, desperately trying to deduce what she might have done. "W-what do you think we'll run into down here?"

"Ghouls. Wretches, Hulks, damnable spiders… I don't know. I don't particularly care. All I need to do is to get where Estanna says I need to go." he growls, avoiding eye contact, his demeanor somewhere between stoicism and outright dismissiveness of the pesky Wizardess.

As Alicern turns to leave to ponder how she upset Karyuu, she notices something. "Karyuu… are you shaking?"

Karyuu's head swivels around, his golden eyes akin to the blaze at the entrance of the cave lock with Alicern's own. "LEAVE ME BE. WHY MUST YOU PESTER ME SO?" he snarls, drawing the attention of everyone else in the chamber. Alicern is unable to meet his gaze, her mouth mumbling inaudible words of apology as she shrinks away from him. The party finishes their preparations in silence. After witnessing the power Karyuu can wield in crisis, nobody really seemed to want to raise the issue.

"Ok. Are we ready to depart?" Cordelia asks her companions, who nod in the affirmative. "Thanatos did a bit of scouting, and it looks like this hollow is part of a larger system. With luck, we should be able to work our way to one pit or another. Those pits probably went right into the cavern when they were blasted in, so we should come across the cluster we are looking for." she continues. "I will take the front with Karyuu, Alicern will be in the middle, and Nina and Thanatos can bring up the rear. We need someone with a blade at both sides in case of ambush."

"We might be able to see somewhat right now, but I'll cast my cantrip of light on your blade, Cordelia. You'll need to be wary of ambushes, so it makes sense that you're our torch bearer for now. Might even scare off whatever might lurk in here. " Alicern says, already flipping through her spellbook.

"Good idea. Be on your guard, everyone. I have a feeling that we have not seen anywhere near the last of the undead." Cordelia says.

The party begins their trek into this forgotten cavern. It is unlikely that many still remember this place, for death had claimed more than the body. Memory and story can only exist when there are those who remember, and can speak. The undisturbed film of long settled dust indicates that none have walked these paths in a very long time. A mystery, still existing in times past, like an isolated pocket in time. The light of Cordelia's blade illuminates the forgotten paths, reflecting off of the slick cave walls and small pools of water. Nothing stirs. An almost unnerving stillness lies heavily here.

A glint in the light catches Thanatos's attention. "Wait a moment… Is that gold?" he asks, moving closer to the cave wall. The vein stands out against the dull rock, haphazardly dispersed in long, random tendrils. "I'm no miner, but this stuff looks like the real thing!" he grins with pride at his discovery.

"If that put you in a good mood, you'll want to see this." Cordelia says, pointing ahead. The party walks into a long, high-roofed corridor, and all stand in mezmorized silence at the marvel. All along the smooth walls of the corridor, veins of gold intertwine and reach from the floor to ceiling, like a great mass of vines. The light of the blade causes them to glimmer and shine, creating the impression of a great, kingly hall of some noble king out of a children's tale. An untouched treasure, forgotten by time and man.

"This..this is incredible! This is enough gold to buy the Empire twice! To think, the Halflings were sitting on top of so much gold without ever realizing it-" Thanatos stops speaking for a moment, his face changing from one of elation to of sudden suspicion, eyes narrowing and beginning to scan the room. "...Why is this huge deposit undisturbed? We have not been in this cavern more than twenty minutes, and our entrance here was in the middle of a borough cluster…." his eyes widen with realization. "What if the Halflings knew it was here, but didn't come in the cave for a reason? These walls are far too uniform to be natural….".

The entire party shifts uncomfortably at this revelation. The walls, filled with wonder in splendor moments ago, now seem daunting. The tendrils of gold no longer seem random, but instead form a canopy, the tendrils flowing in one direction. Deeper into the corridor. The cavern walls no longer seem as random as before, instead forming a perfectly symmetrical pattern on either side, down to the stalagmites. This is not a work of natural process. This place was designed by someone. Or something.

"...Let's get going. The only direction we can go is forward. We cannot hope to fight the undead at the entrance." Cordelia says, eyes peering ahead, as if trying to see what hidden terror may lurk down the hall. "Stay close, everyone. As long as we see them first, a few undead don't stand a chance against us."

The march continues, deeper into the dark. The hall continues its perfect pattern, and discernible figures have begun to appear in the gold. Little human figures sit before a woman who holds a great shield in one hand, with the other outstretched to those before her. The opposite wall, however, bears a different scene. A tall man stands before a crowd, with both he and the crowd raising fists in celebration. The tall man bears a broken shackle in his raised fist, his face a chiseled etching of a shout.

Cordelia eyes these with great interest. "Wait a moment.. I know this story! This is the tale of Estanna and Andoral, and the creation of Man and Halfling!" Cordelia says, beaming with delight. "The story starts with the two Divines creating two mortal races, as reflections of their core virtues. Estanna's vision was one of nobility, duty, and family. Andoral's vision was one of absolute freedom from coercion." she continues as she walks. New panels appear on the walls. Estanna's wall shows a pyramid structure made of humanoid figures. All of their faces are identical in expression and design, all their eyes dull black stones in the cave wall. The woman with the shield looks on, a golden tear falling from her cheek. Andoral's wall shows a bloody battle, with tendrils of gold exploding from the throats of humanoids, and great, solid panels of gold form the shape of fire consuming many others. The tall man sits, his head in his hands. "But this was folly. Estanna's children were automatons, bound only by their duties to their masters, and they lived only in body but not in spirit or mind. Andoral's children were bestial. Their desire for freedom was so great that they could create nothing between themselves, instead opting to fight each other out of suspicion and jealousy. A war of all against all." Cordelia continues, marveling at the great displays. The corridor continues, though there appears to be a narrow arch at its end, leading to another unseen room. Above this arch, the walls meet, forming a single panel above it. The tall man stands before the shield-bearer, with a rose in hand. Her hand is outstretched, as if to accept this gift. Below them stand figures of Men and Halflings, among a field of roses. "Andoral came to Estanna, for both were wracked with woe at the actions of their children. He wished to work together with Estanna to fix his mistakes. In doing this, he understood that he would need to put constraints on freedom, the value he embodied. Estanna too understood she would need to compromise her value of duty to prevent slavery and soulless bondage. Andoral gave her a rose, a flower that possesses great beauty, but also thorns. This represents their compromise to each other, to create beauty despite the imperfections. To compromise their very values for the sake of each other. Thus, the races of Man and Halfling were born by them, the patron Divines of our race." Cordelia finishes, her eyes filled with the reflection of the great gold display before her.

"Is this some kind of temple then?" Thanatos asks, eyes fixed in awe at the intricate design.

"Almost certainly, but not one I have ever heard of. Even stranger, where are the priests and other servitors? A temple of such scale could not simply be vacant, despite the undead. This place is too well maintained." Cordelia replies.

"Perhaps this is what I was to see….but there is something amiss here." Karyuu growls, his expression betraying a sense of unease. "The closer we get to that doorway, the more I can sense it. The previous absolute stillness that I am certain we all felt earlier is being disrupted. I keep feeling like I should be anticipating something to pounce from the shadows. But not like a Ghoul. It seems...larger… Please give me a moment." Karyuu says, adopting a sitting position. He closes his eyes and begins to meditate.

"What is he doing?" Thanatos asks.

"He is a sorcerer. Unlike most magic users, he can actively perceive the threads that bind all creatures to the Weave, as well as be much more in tune with the status of the Weave. Maybe that sensitivity is what is giving him unease." Alicern says, watching in fascination.

Suddenly, Karyuu starts making noise. A whisper at first, but slowly growing into growls and whimpers. He begins to involuntarily twitch, his hands clenched into fists.

"No...no" he growls. "Divines..what is this?!"

His hands bleed as his nails start to pierce this skin. His eyes fly open, black, empty pits that cannot seem to focus on anything.

"We need to get him out!" Alicern shouts, appearing at Karyuu's side. She hastily flips through her spellbook, growling in frustration. "Damn it! This is a problem with his soul thread! I don't have anything for that!" she shouts, panicking at the situation.

"Hrghhh-oof!" Karyuu exclaims, now sprawled across the floor, eyes rapidly regaining their color.

"You..you kicked him?!" Alicern shouts in apparent confusion at Thanatos, who wears a smug, satisfied grin.

"Sometimes, modern problems require ancient solutions." Thanatos says. "You doing alright, Karyuu? I wasn't trying to actually hurt you."

"No. I am fine… Thank you." Karyuu replies, somewhat breathlessly.

"What caused that reaction? What did you see?" Nina asks.

"Divines...I have never seen anything like it. There is something very large, extending from the next chamber for miles in every direction. The whole thing is a grotesque mess of soul threads. Like a fae'n hundred fishing nets that got caught in a storm. Only thing I could determine in that mess is that the pit we are trying to reach looks like a nexus of some kind, with a huge concentration of souls. Once we enter the next chamber, we just need to follow the leftward tunnel and we should reach it in half an hour at most." Karyuu replies.

"But why the reaction?" Nina repeats.

"You would not understand. Reading souls in a very demanding experience, your soul and the one you are observing or manipulating merge, in a sense. It is a very intense feeling. Though nowhere near as intense as directly reading a soul, being in presence of that many trapped souls caused me to start feeling mine be pulled with them, almost like a whirlpool…." Karyuu says. "I will not attempt that again until we leave this place. I refuse."

"I understand. Are you ready to move out?" Nina responds.

"Yes. I cannot rest until I understand why I was called here by Estanna." Karyuu responds, getting back on his feet.

"Be wary of what lies beyond. If what Karyuu says is true, we might be dealing with something far beyond our own strength." Cordelia says, approaching the door with her shield raised.

The party walks through the archway, and is greeted by a large, open courtyard. At the far left end lies a wide door, surrounded by long abandoned barricades. The walls are bare, save for a few racks with weapons long abandoned. The center of the courtyard is a sight to behold. It seems that an ornate sigil may have once been displayed here, but it is not visible due to the extreme charring done by fire, and is buried under a great number of black, fused figures that lie inert on its surface. The party cautiously walks to this grim scene.

"What...happened here? Are they undead?" Thanatos asks.

"No. The opposite. It seems that these fellows burned themselves to prevent being used as new undead vessels. The barricades at the door never fell. This was a suicide…" Cordelia says in a hushed tone. "We need to prepare for whatever is behind that door. Karyuu says it should be a straight shot to our destination, so we must be ready to be mobile." she says, addressing the party. "We will keep the same grouping as before. We cannot afford to slow down. We don't need to fight everything we see, just make it to where we need to go."

"Wouldn't that just mean we end up fighting the entire force at the pit?" Thanatos says, his doubt in this plan apparent.

"We still have more emberstones, yes? Once they clump up, we can have Karyuu burn them again." Cordelia says, to which Karyuu nods affirmatively.

"I should also be able to augment my own flames with an emberstone. With two bouts of flame, we can keep them contained." Alicern says, looking to Karyuu. Karyuu grunts in reply, tossing Alicern a stone.

"Ready, everyone? Let's go." Cordelia says, approaching the door. The door is large, its width allowing for the party to walk side by side through it if they so wished. As she approaches, she spots something written on parchment, held to the door with a dagger. "Hold a moment. It seems to be a message from someone.." Cordelia says, reading aloud:

 _To any reading this, it seems our sacrifice was not in vain._

 _The last of the secret servitors had come under my command after the battle of the central chamber was lost. We fled here to the secret entrance to keep the route free of the Necromancer's corruption. We knew our situation was hopeless. We had not the manpower nor resources to hold our position in battle. Thus, in order to prevent the corruption from infesting this passage, we have destroyed our bodies as to not attract the attention of the undead corruption. May Estanna forgive us for failing to hold this secret, holy place._

 _If you aim to open this door, you MUST stop the corruption at the source, lest it expands to this part of the temple and profane the last vestiges of this holy place._

 _In Estanna's name,_

 _Master Custodian Sam Buckleberry_

"You shall be remembered, loyal servant." Cordelia says quietly. "Whatever lies beyond that gate, we must end it in the name of Estanna!" she says, pushing on the door. "What in- the door doesn't seem to want to open. Help me push!" she says. As the party pushes together, a strange, almost wet noise begins complementing the door as it opens. A smell akin to uncooked meat wafts into the room. The door is opened after much effort, and the party stands in disgusted shock.

What was once a hallway now looks akin to the inside of a human intestine. Every inch of surface has bizarre, fleshy growths, with some looking like boils and others like simple piles of decaying flesh. The air feels hot and heavy, as if you were standing in a crowded building at midday. Everything has a strange wetness to it, and every step taken squelches with disturbing organicism. The scent is confounding. Saccharine sweetness envelops the senses one moment, only for the stinging sensation of rot and acrid emissions to assault them the next. Every breath taken seems to leave a tasteless, but very much real residue in the mouth, as if one is constantly swallowing mucus.

"By the Divines...what is this?" Thanatos says, his knuckles white from gripping his blade so tightly.

"The work of that "Necromancer" our friend mentioned… This must be the corruption the temple was lost to.." Karyuu says, eyes scanning for movement. "This must be what I saw in my meditation...This system goes on for miles. Through the entire temple complex."

"We need to get moving. Now. This place is probably crawling with undead." Cordelia says, already starting to march forward. Her boots squelch with every footfall.

Traversing this alien terrain is a challenge. The party frequently struggles to get their feet out of piles of meaty slop, or lose their footing on the slime-lubricated surfaces of the tunnel. Mercifully, light seems to be plentiful here. Small holes dot the ceiling, allowing for the evening sun to shine through. Despite the terrain, not a single undead has been encountered, though the party feels no more at ease.

"...Where are they?" Nina whispers to nobody in particular.

"I would try to detect undead, like at the barn, but I have a feeling that I'd only pick up this..thing we are inside." Cordelia replies. "Divines...what is this thing, anyhow? I have never encountered undead like this before."

"I have no idea. In my preparations for this journey, I read up on recorded undead combat forms. This is something I don't think anyone has seen…" Alicern says, eyeing her surroundings.

"Look on the bright side. Maybe once you write about this thing, you'll become a famous scholar at the Academy." Thanatos says.

"Great. Then I'll be known as the weird undead girl." Alicern replies, smiling weakly.

"Hold. This doesn't look like a random growth." Cordelia says, pointing toward a room a few yards ahead. The room is circular, the diameter around 100 feet across. At its center, a large spherical ball of wet flesh is dotted with a multitude of smaller spheres. The whole growth seems to pulse like a freshly removed organ.

"I know saying it looks out of place my be redundant in this nightmare cavern… but that really looks suspicious." Thanatos says, tilting his head as if to get a better angle at the pulsing growth.

"Agreed. We should try to work our way around. Hug the walls and stay quiet. Maybe it's nothing to worry about, but I think we should err on the side of caution in a place like this." Nina says.

The party begins to make their way around the room, backs to the wall, as to keep an eye on the mass in the room's center. All that can be heard is the squelching of footfalls on the fleshy floors. Cordelia inhales sharply suddenly as she slides off of her spot on the wall, her metal boots slick with the ambient lubricant. Everyone is silent, eyes dart from Cordelia to the flesh in the center of the room. As Alicern stares at the mass, it starts to stare back. One by one, the smaller spheres open, revealing eyes of assorted sizes and origins. Their focus changes too rapidly to determine what they see or miss, but it soon becomes obvious that the party's attempt at sneaking has failed utterly. The central sphere reveals itself not to be an eye, but a maw, which lets out a shriek that seems to combine the dying cries of every different type of creature on Vaelia, screaming in unison. The call reverberates in the cavern, in spite of the fleshy infestation.

"Damn it! Everyone, MOVE!" Cordelia roars, quickly getting to her feet. " Don't stop for anything until we reach the nexus. Don't get separated!" she says, breaking into a run. The rest of the party joins in the dash.

The fleshy ward, mercifully, has no method of attacking the party as they sprint pass. It does not need one. As the party exists the room, the sounds of countless squelching footfalls fill their ears. The party enters an immense tunnel, the ceiling high above them. The tunnel is bathed in light, for great wounds appear in the far side of it. The heart of this hell.

"By the- why in the Emperor's name is it raining in a cave?!" Thanatos yells aloud, hastily brushing the viscous liquid from his shoulder.

Karyuu glances upward, and immediately snaps his head back forward. "Just keep running."

"Wha-" Thanatos begins.

"Do not stop. Don't look up" Karyuu says, less to Thanatos and more to himself.

Unable to contain his morbid curiosity, Thanatos looks up. His heart stops.

The bright holes of light in the ceiling have rapidly diminished in number, for a writhing swarm of Ghouls now pour through them. They scamper through the openings, at times using each other's bodies as contact points for their limbs as they climb through. They are climbing down the walls at a frightening pace, and there seems to be no end to their numbers. Ooze falls as a shower as the creatures traverse the fleshy surface of the ceiling.

"Oh… SHIT!" Thanatos screams, his momentary horrified trance broken. "What's the plan?!" Thanatos shouts to Cordelia, the din of claws on flesh becoming a cacophony.

"Run to the pit! We'll make a stand there!" Cordelia shouts in reply, legs beginning to burn with exertion. The others in the party pant loudly as they push their bodies to their limits in this mad sprint, unsure if even that would give them a chance against such a relentless swarm.

By now, the great mass of Ghouls have reached the floor of the tunnel, following their prey with the speed and ravenous instinct of starving hounds. The party is bathed in the light of the opening of the pit. Cordelia turns to her fellows, the Ghouls not far off.

"Here we make our stand! Karyuu, Alicern, prepare to use the emberstones. Perhaps the flames will be our salvation today. Nina, start firing whenever you are ready. Thanatos and I will defend our flanks and stay out of Karyuu and Alicern's way!" Cordelia commands, raising her shield in anticipation of the assault.

The Ghouls barrel toward their target, sensing the despair in their prey. The great torrent of flesh and claw surges like a wave, merely yards away now. As the party braces for impact, the Ghouls recoil, crawling backwards, away from them. The party bears an expression of confusion, unsure of what to make of this sudden pause of battle. A voice is heard. Somewhere between raspy and guttural, it sends a chill up the spines of the party.

"Guests! Ah, it has been far too long. Believe it or not, these fleshy puppets do not provide decent company!" the figure announces, voice emanating from behind the party. The party turns to face their host, and all take an instinctual step backward. The figure wears a tattered Direnni robe, the fabric a black silk accented with dark purple. He stands around six and a half feet tall, the typical size of an Elf. His hands are wrapped tightly in soiled cloth, as is all visible flesh on his body. Strange purple crystal growths protrude from his frame, producing the occasional electric crackle of some unknown property. His face is hidden behind an ornate Direnni mask, a staple of the invaders a century ago. The mask is bone white, bearing a large crest extending a foot above where the top of his head is likely located. The area between the two large eye slits bears a perfectly straight purple line, which divides the mask in perfect symmetry, meeting with a large circular rune in the center of the head crest. The eye slits convey nothing but abyssal dark, giving no indication of the individual behind the mask. The Elf stands with an awkward gait, as if some decrepit old man or a cripple, yet his aura of creeping malevolence is not abated by such posture. He speaks, extending one of his bandaged arms.

"I am Setnach. Researcher, Necromancer, Usurper, and Bane of Gods. Welcome to my home!", his cheery uptick betrayed by his guttural tone. "Do not worry, I have called back the pesky hounds. As much as I adore my pets, they have not been known to be very good hosts." he continues, waving for the party to enter the pit. The party follows the Necromancer, entering what must have been the center of the old temple. All passages, save the one the party entered from, are blocked by a mix of flesh and large purple crystals, similar to the ones protruding from their host. Whatever magnificence this chamber may have once possessed has been soiled by the fleshy tendrils of whatever horror the Necromancer had unleashed, choking the surface of everything. Debris of pillars and edifices lie scattered and strangled, and all that stands unbroken is a great golden throne, elevated by stairs, overlooking the chamber. The Necromancer turns expectantly, as if expecting his guests to greet him like an old friend.

"What..is this place?" Cordelia asks.

"My adoptive home, of course! Not quite as *lively* as my home back on Dol Dirennis, but a lovely home nonetheless." he replies with guttural cheer. "Nobody has visited me since the War, so you have caught me somewhat unprepared. Allow me to make you eggs, my friends!" he continues, walking toward a corner of the room.

"That is… very kind of you. What has happened to this place? Is this your doing?" Cordelia says, hand not leaving the handle of her blade.

"This is my masterpiece! A just reward for my services to the Imperium. This temple and the surrounding lands provide me with plenty of fresh souls and magical energies to push the very bounds of understood magic!" he says while ripping clumps of flesh from the ground, and then mashing it in his hands. He suddenly stands up, flipping his direction toward the party. "The soulstones are the key! The perfect fuel source! They have more uses than just feeding and animating my creations. Yes. Many many many more uses!" he shouts, gurgling with some demented giddiness. "Those weak-willed RATS couldn't understand my genius! They simply ponder what they do not understand, whereas I GRASP it!" he cries, voice twisting into a snarl. "But look who succeeded where they failed! I did my duty and now enjoy rewards without end!" he says, seeming to entirely forget about his company.

"What did you succeed in?" Alicern asks, curious about what the Necromancer was raving about.

"WHO SAID THAT?!" the Necromancer roars, revealing a twin set of long, bladed obsidian spearswords. He takes one in either hand and repeatedly slashes around himself, howling like a maddened beast. He stares at the ground for a moment, before twisting his head toward the party. "Oh! You startled me! Your eggs are nearly complete, dear friends." he says, the unnerving cheer returning as if nothing had transpired. "I was chosen to accompany a special unit of the Imperium's most talented agents, acting as a specialty team embedded inside the invasion force commanded to conquer this land. Yet, our mission was not to fight as the common soldier. We had other quarry." he chuckles, walking to the center of the room. " To think, the keys to all of the magic the Imperium could ever need slept like big, mythical kittens! All we needed to do was find them. That was our job!" he begins pacing in excitement. "This was the first. Conveniently close to our landing site! It took us a while to find the temple, but enough bombardment helped us narrow the search. Golden bitch was putting up a serious fight though, so that's when I decided to go in myself wielding my peerless mastery of necromancy." If he is smiling, the party cannot tell.

"What did you find down here…?" Cordelia asks, eyes widening in horror.

"DON'T INTERRUPT MY STORY!" the Necromancer shrieks, slashing the ground again. His breaths are ragged, as if he were afflicted by some sickness. His pacing picks up in speed, his bandaged feet flicking flecks of meat into the air.

"It turns out this Dragon _really_ doesn't like undead. Maybe it is hard to fight nobily when you're fighting a flood? Maybe she was focusing on saving those stupid temple guards? Hah, what a waste!" he says. "Once we finally got down to business, we fought for hours. My, the amount of undead I went through would have been enough to win the war alone! But my-" he lets out a strangled laugh, "so much ripping of souls and so much magic in one space can produce some REALLY interesting results!" he says, gesturing to a large purple crystal. "I have never experienced anything like it! So powerful, so exquisite! With it, I defeated that damnable creature! Sent it to the depths of the Weave!" he laughs giddily. " My body was shattered by the battle, and I thought my saga would end just as it started….but I was wrong!" he snaps his head toward the party, his abyssal eyes replaced by an electric purple color. "I have mastered necromancy! I cannot die! Gods fall before me!" he howls, emitting something halfway between a roar and a laugh.

"YOU BASTARD!" Karyuu roars, seeming to shake the room with raw rage. "YOU SHALL PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO HOLY ESTANNA!" he cries, hurling a bolt of flame at the monster before him. The Necromancer cackles in amusement. His robe and mask suddenly release a pulse of blue-purple light. Upon impact, the firebolt dissipates harmlessly on the now visible glowing armor.

"YOU STUPID ANIMAL! TERRIBLE GUESTS! I'LL JUST KEEP THESE DELICIOUS EGGS TO MYSELF!" the Necromancer snarls, raising his twin spearswords.

"I directly hit him! What is this vile magic?!" Karyuu snorts in frustration.

"Elven Mage Armor. Unlike the spell Mage Armors here on Calradia, Direnni have their Mage Armor built into to their robes and masks, activated at the behest of the wearer. We can break it by hitting it enough times but we need to keep pressure on!" Alicern replies, spellbook in hand.

"Get behind me! We must avenge holy Estanna!" Cordelia roars, initiating a charge against her foe.

The Necromancer chuckles in amusement. "You imbeciles! You morons! I have killed a GOD! Do you understand?! You are less than gnats!" he snarls, bracing for attack.

Cordelia is the first to strike, bashing her shield against the gaunt Necromancer. Her shield connects with the Mage Armor, all forward momentum from her charge being negated, though not reflected. The Mage Armor briefly flashes, registering the impact. The Necromancer brings forth his spearswords, crashing against Cordelia's shield in rapid succession, bringing her to her knees. As the Necromancer prepares his second set of strikes, Thanatos's rapier strikes true, prodding one of the spearswords and drawing the attention of the Necromancer. He snarls like an animal, knocking the rapier aside with his secondary spearsword. Thanatos grins, firing his hand-crossbow directly at the mask of the Necromancer, producing a satisfying flash on impact. As the Necromancer prepared to charge Thanatos, the impacts of three purple darts resound off of his back's Mage-Armor. Wheeling around, he sees Alicern busily flipping through her spellbook. The Necromancer roars, placing his swordspears together, launching a sickly beam of pale black coloration. It heads straight for Alicern, making contact.

"AGHHGHH-HAAAHHG" Alicern wails, doubling over in pain as portions of her skin peel like a rotting fruit. She feels as if her skin is covered in writhing maggots, causing her to flail madly in a useless attempt to end the horrifying sensation. Tears fill her eyes as she screams in agony.

"Alicern!" Cordelia shouts to the wailing Wizardess. "I'm on my way!", turning away from the Necromancer.

"Damn it, no you are not! Keep his attention!" Nina shouts back, firing a crossbow into the Necromancer's armor, now bright with impact damages. "I'll go help Alicern!"

"My, your companion is such a tasty morsel. Such a bounty of life and energy. Delicious." the Necromancer chuckles, seeming a bit more towering than before.

"GET BACK!" Karyuu roars, clutching an emberstone. Cordelia and Thanatos quickly throw themselves to the floor, rolling away from the Necromancer. Karyuu opens his palm, engulfing the Necromancer in a torrent of flame. It roars like a great beast, illuminating even the darkest corners of the central chamber. Karyuu lowers his arm, the spell spent. The fleshy surface around the Necromancer has been charred away, revealing ruined remains of Estanna's sigil etched in gold, though scarred by fire and deformed by the small pockets of purple crystals. The Necromancer still stands, though his glowing armor is shattered. His robes are severely burned, revealing that every inch of skin is covered in soiled, filthy bandages. Crystals protrude from his chest cavity, and have grown into his limbs like splinters jutting off of gaunt branches. The mask is shattered, revealing that his head has long since been infused, nay, _devoured_ , by a large purple crystal. His eyes are no longer symmetrical on the face, and search his surroundings absentmindedly. After a few moments, they focus on Karyuu. The Necromancer's misshapen mouth twists into a wide smile, revealing the bloody remnants of gums and teeth.

"Ahhhh. I have not felt such a rush since I killed that Golden lizard. Fire like a Dragon's! Marvelous!" he exclaims, his arms wide, as if to embrace the moment itself. "Now, allow me to show you my discovery. Allow me to show you my genius!" he shouts, running toward the largest of the purple crystals. He takes his twin spearswords, holds them together, creating perfect symmetry between the two, and stabs them into the ground. Immediately, the room is filled with a bizarre, alien sound, as if someone was waving a great length of sheet metal in a billowing wind. The Necromancer holds to his spearswords, swaying in a rhythmic fashion. Around him, a visible bubble appears, shining in a light purple hue.

"Again! Before his shield recovers!" Cordelia says, charging the object. As her weapon strikes, she screams in pain, her sword flying from her hands and she herself stumbling backwards. "What sorcery is this?! My arm is broken!" she cries getting to her feet and putting distance between herself and the mysterious object.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN HIDE FROM MY WRATH, YOU RAT?!" Karyuu howls. He brings forth yet another emberstone, repeating his activation technique and prepares to launch another wave of flame.

"Karyuu! Wai-" Cordelia shouts, unsure of the result of Karyuu's attack.

She is soon answered. The fire is projected from Karyuu's hand, and envelops the sphere. Yet, in a mere second, the fire rushes back toward Karyuu, engulfing him in flames of his own making. His roar of anger turns into an unnervingly human scream, as he throws himself to the ground and attempts to roll away from the flames. While certainly not dead, he now writhes on the fleshy floor, attempting to put out the flames that eat at his body.

"Foolish little creatures. This is the consequence of coming into MY home and insulting ME with your terrible manners! One should respect a master of magic!" the Necromancer jeers, back turned but still somehow aware of his success. "Do not worry, I will not leave you without entertainment! Witness the knowledge afforded to me!" he shouts, a purple wave of light erupting from his combined spearsword. As the wave travels, purple lines begin to appear all across the chamber, with great concentration on the locations of the party members.

"Get off the spots! I don't know what it is but it can't be good!" Thanatos shouts to any who can hear him. Karyuu, in spite of his situation, rolls himself away from where he lay. Cordelia runs to Alicern, who is now carried in the arms of Nina, desperately running from the large purple mark where they were moments before. Thanatos backs up a pace, and observes the menacing purple spot. Simultaneously, all of these spots are suddenly replaced by an explosion of purple light, and it the light's place appear jagged crystals, sharp enough to destroy any armors.

"It seems that even half-dead, you scurrying creatures are mobile. No matter! You cannot escape what I have mastered!" the Necromancer giggles.

The floor begins to produce more and more of the deadly spots, keeping the party on their feet trying to avoid being skewered or boxed in. Even Karyuu, hobbling in pain and shock, manages to avoid the painful fate. The crystals, however, do not simply disappear. Soon there will be nowhere to run.

"As fun as it is to watch you scurry about, I cannot help but feel bored by this strange dance. Allow me to make this more interesting for you!" the Necromancer says, launching a firebolt to the crystal nearest to Thanatos. The crystal, upon receiving the bolt, suddenly expands in size, slicing the shoulder of Thanatos as he narrowly dodges impalement. The Necromancer continues to launch cantrips into crystals, reducing the navigable spaces considerably. Energy crackles between the crystals, producing zapping shocks and noises. The entire room is a deep, sinister purple, as the dying light of the evening is reflected off of the crystal prison.

"I think I'm about ready to clean this up. I never did finish those eggs! A shame you won't have any… Join your false god in death. Better yet, join my service!" the Necromancer says with an inhuman chuckle. He retracts his spearswords, yet maintains his impenetrable shield. He howls like a beast as he begins to pursue his prey, lidless eyes focused on the whimpering Alicern. As he began his charge, he senses something reflect off of his shield.

"Estanna's tits!" Thanatos swore, crossbow bolt embedded in his arm.

 _Good. I have his attention. Come here, you piece of shit._

"Are you really so eager to join my entourage? You are not very smart, trying the same "tactic" as your compatriots, are you?" the Necromancer sneers, beginning his march toward the lone man.

 _I guess we will see in a moment._ Thanatos thinks to himself.

 _If that shield throws off everything that touches it, or redirects magic, then what happens if a crystal pierces it?_

He has no idea. Thanatos is not a man of magic, just an honest duelist who wants to claim victory over the wretch who has done so much harm. He refuses to die here. To the surprise of the Necromancer, Thanatos begins charging him. The Necromancer's visage twists into an amused smile, greatly entertained by the audacity of this fool. The Necromancer stares at him, giggling to himself at the absurdity of it. Thanatos hurls himself at the front of the Necromancer, directly into the shield. Shocks reverberate across his entire body, stinging his skin and causing his muscles and bones to ache with exertion. His vision fills with red as blood vessels begin to pop.

 _Just a few seconds more!_

The Necromancer laughs hysterically. Never before has he witnessed such an absurdity. Not in all of his life on Dol Dirennis, not during the Great War, and not during his reign as master of this place. As he looks down upon his prey, he watches it squirm like a fish in a net. So delicate. So weak. So inferior. That is, until it escapes the net.

Thanatos forces his body to roll sideways, hoping for the sphere to force him out. This works with great success, slamming him into the broadside of a crystal, which thankfully does not harm him. The Necromancer looks to him, a strangely recognizable look of confusion in his purple orbs of eyes. A purple glow emerges from below him. The Necromancer lets out an agonized roar as the sphere fluctuates wildly in size, and the crystal begins to warp in size and shape, with pieces being removed and added within the blink of an eye. Great flurries of sparks and lightning dance around the chamber, all while the Necromancer's form seems to be consumed by erratic twists and turns of wind. He releases a final panicked shriek, before his voice is suddenly cut off by a great roaring cacophony. His body, the sphere, and the crystal all compress together for a moment, before suddenly disappearing from vision. A gust of wind knocks the party to the floor once again. The Necromancer is no more.

The party sits in silence. The supposed master of necromancy had been felled by something far beyond their control, something wild and dangerous. Yet the threat of the madman had passed, regardless. Cordelia is the first to her feet, grimacing as her magic fixes the broken bones in her sword arm. Karyuu slowly rises, his skin singed by backblasted flame. Nina helps Alicern to her feet, who groans in pain as her skin and muscles are magically remade. Thanatos rises, soaked in blood. He swears as he pulls the crossbow bolt from his shoulder, and rubs his eyes in an attempt to clear out the blood.

"Remind me to never jump into the arms of a Necromancer ever again…" he says, spitting blood from his mouth.

"Thanatos! Do you need hea-" Cordelia starts.

"Already on it." Thanatos interrupts, taking a swig of his health potion. His eyes widen in surprise, audibly groaning. "For th- Divines! My whole head is on fire!" he moans, falling to his knees.

"Do-... don't jump into... magic stuff…" Alicern murmurs faintly, still very much disoriented.

"Wait a moment...what is happening to the flesh?" Nina asks, eyes scanning the room.

The organic growth that has consumed the temple has begun to sizzle and dissipate, rapidly receding from the chamber. The chamber is at last revealing its true splendor. Massive golden pillars mark the three entry arches, which lead to other segments of the complex. The floor itself is still scarred by the large purple crystal, yet its design is revealed. Eight humanoids circle a figure obscured by the crystal, all holding out their hands, all of which display sparkling designs of inlaid gems and metals. The throne towers above it all, detailed with intricate gold roses. In their awe at such a spectacle, the party is caught off-guard by a whisper, as if someone directly speaks into their ears.

 _Do not be afraid. You shall not come to harm here._

 _I am Estanna, Guardian of Virtue and Beacon of Righteousness. You have braved the defiler who ran rampant through my halls, corrupting this sacred place with his filth._

Cordelia drops to her knees, bowing her head in reverence. Karyuu places his hand to his chest, murmuring something unintelligible. The others stand in shock, confused at such a claim.

"Holy Estanna! You live!" Cordelia shouts in elation.

 _In name. The vile invaders defeated me through dishonorable trickery, taking my broken body afar for unknown devilry. Such a shameful state is not befitting of the Hand of Light… I exist at but a fraction of my power in this holy place, bearing witness to the twisted machinations of the defiler. May his soul be ripped apart by the winds of the Weave!_

"Where are you, Goddess?" Thanatos murmurs, eyes still searching the room.

 _Nowhere near here. I am able to speak in this place only due to the presence of my blessed champion, for they walk the path of my restoration. My instrument in this world._

"Holy Estanna, I graciously accept your blessing. I shall dedicate my life to the restoration of your grace, and act as your hand in this world!" Cordelia proclaims as she stands tall, her face flush with pride at such an honor.

 _Sit down, child. You presume far too much, and will never be my champion. Do not claim the blessing of a being which you fail to understand._

Cordelia's face takes a moment to register the shock. Her smile, so full of joy and pride, slowly falls from her face. The shining light of valorous expectation in her eyes becomes muted, and her eyes stare hard at the floor, unable to look upon her companions. She wordlessly falls to her knees, the only sound made being that of her armor.

 _Look upon me, my champion. You have traveled far, yet I urge you to press forward once more._

Karyuu lifts his head, a keen focus to his eyes, as if meeting the eyes of something not present. "For you, my lady, anything." he says, his expression stoic and dutiful.

The party looks to their companion, their surprise apparent at such a revelation. None more so than Cordelia, who stares in disbelief at the sorcerer. She says nothing, and merely watches the declared champion of Estanna.

 _My champion, know that your struggle has not ended. The answers you seek lie before you, you merely need to reach out and touch them._

"B-but my lady!" Karyuu stammers. "What must I do?"

 _Follow the path set before you. Something is amiss in Vaelia, something I have failed to see, and I have paid the price for it. I know not what comes, but the Council of Eight must be reassembled. Find my brothers and sisters, scattered throughout the world. Tell them what has transpired here. I shall provide to you the locations of the other great sanctums. No two are identical or even similar, as are my kin. How you accomplish my will is dependent on you, my champion. I have confidence in your noble spirit. Do not fail me. Do not fail Vaelia._

Karyuu bows his head in silence, the voice absent. The party all look to each other, unsure of what to make of what transpired.

"Was that… actually Estanna? THE Estanna?" Thanatos asks, still in shock. "Estanna's-" he stops himself, suddenly much more conscious of his word choice. " I always thought they were just stories, you know? I never thought…"

"Incredible!" Alicern exclaims before coughing in pain. "Such a being, able to project itself after apparent "death"!" she says before scanning the room. "Though, that creature we fought seemed to violate all kinds of understandings of magic… and what of these crystals? This place could change everything…" she says, hobbling over to a patch of crystals.

"We should leave those. Whatever that necromancer was doing here, I don't think it should leave this place." Nina says to Alicern.

"But-" Alicern says.

"Just liste-" Nina continues, but is cut off by Karyuu.

"I know what I must do. I cannot rest until Estanna is restored, and I am already running out of time. Farewell." he grunts, beginning to turn from the others.

"Hold on there, chosen one." Thanatos says. "The only reason we made it this far into this hellhole is because we worked together. If the other spots the spirit mentioned are just as perilous…"

"Why did you call the Divine a 'spirit'? Are we in a fairy tale now?" Karyuu asks, eyes narrowing.

Thanatos waves his hands before him, as if trying to calm Karyuu down with his gestures alone. "Hey now! Maybe it really is Estanna. As in, the DIVINE Estanna. If that's the case, what's the harm in considering that other previously mythical things exist?"

Karyuu grunts derisively. "She is real. I can feel her guiding me, as I have since long ago. Doubters have no place on this road."

"Doubters or not, you will need help. Do you seriously expect me to just drop the whole " _Do not fail Vaelia_ " bit like it doesn't apply to me? I'd rather help make sure you succeed in what you're trying to do." Thanatos says.

"My work here is only technically done. I have found the source of the undead, but now I have more questions than answers. What was that monster? What if there are more of them?" Nina ponders. "I have no choice to to follow you on this journey, so that I may finish the task assigned to me."

"I can't just leave now! If the Divines are real, then this could be a huge step in understanding magic and the Weave! Such beings were here at the dawn of Vaelia. They could answer so many questions… Please, Karyuu. I can't just let this go now." Alicern pleads, tripping and falling to the ground as she tries to meet Karyuu's eyes while walking in the opposite direction.

"It is my sworn duty to fulfill the will of Estanna. If that means assisting you in your sacred mission, I would be honored to fight beside you." Cordelia says, her steely eyes meeting Karyuu's. Her stance and expression convey little. They are prim, dutiful, and utterly wooden.

"Fine. It is true that I could not have done this alone. Let us depart for the fort. We have spent enough time here." Karyuu grumbles.

The party begins the trek back to Fort Easthold. As they walk the halls of this forgotten temple, they pass enormous mounds of undead, who have become inert after the death of their necromancer. The fleshy growths that choked the structure melt away like ice in the summer sun, revealing beautiful engravings of gold and a work of architecture to awe even the greatest of masons. Great wounds still mark the temple, with debris falling through cracks in the ceiling, previously nestled in the flesh of the Necromancer's creation. Evidence of enormous blasts of fire mark the walls, a solemn reminder of all those that died defending this place. As the party reaches the surface, they are kissed by the cool gloaming air, the last vestiges of sunlight passing over the hills. Undead litter the landscape, with only the sounds of the wind and marching of five pairs of feet breaking the stillness of the land. At last, Fort Easthold comes into view, its light radiating into the hills. It seems that there is a great bustle of activity, with the roads alight with the torches of patrols coming inside. Thanatos approaches a passing Guardsman, marching with haste to the fort.

"Greetings, Guardsman! Is something going on at the fort?" Thanatos asks.

"Fordragon's giving a speech! I heard something big is happening!" the Guardsman responds with excitement. The Guardsman looks over the motley party, and smiles. "You lot are the ones who killed those bandits, yeah? Come on inside with me."

After thanking the Guardsman, the party follows him to the central courtyard of the fort. Soldiers seem to occupy every foot of space, with some of the shorter soldiers either standing atop boxes or protesting loudly as they are made to ride atop their taller comrades. Guardsmen of various sorts intermix, becoming a chaotic but good-spirited mob. The party stands near the back wall, where there is at least some semblance of a decent view of the Marshal's perch. Suddenly, the doors of the perch open. Two of the Marshal's personal guard step through the doorway, their bodies encased in heavy plate armor. They raise their left fist to the sky, as if indicating a wordless command. The officers in the courtyard reply in kind, and form up their respective units quickly and quietly. As the mob becomes uniformly regimented, the party stands silently, observing the spectacle of the famed Third Army Group in action. Once they have been arranged, Fordragon walks out to the perch in full battle dress, and carrying a message from a raven.

"Soldiers of the Holy Calradian Empire! Hear me!" his voice booms like a cannon, ending any whispers that survived the regimentation. "I gather you tonight to deliver tragic news that strikes the very heart of our beloved Empire. Emperor Antony Greenglen, first of his name, lies dead. The work of a traitorous assassin!" Fordragon bellows, his voice carrying the power and authority of a thousand veterans. Gasps and murmurs immediately erupt amongst the assembled Guardsmen. After a moment, Fordragon resumes speaking "Our holy Empire was created in order to defend against the Elven threat, and was our salvation during our darkest hours. Yet now, I fear that the memory and ideal that so many died for festers with rot. Corruption, poverty, sickness, and discord. We have won one war merely to have another take its place. Not against armies or monsters from the sea, but against our own vices as men. In these dark times, we must look to our shining ideal of what the empire could be! A prosperous, free land where all live in mutual service and harmony." Fordragon pauses, looking over his assembled men. "We can only reach this bright future by remaining eternally loyal to the empire and its institutions, defending them from opportunists, traitors, and other social vermin. Those that undermine our great land shall be hunted down and destroyed, as is our role as the Imperial Guard. We are the first and last defence of our holy Empire, and only through iron devotion to it can we see it to a better future!" Scattered cheers erupt from the assembled men, clenched fists raised as a salute. "In two days time, a large contingent of you men assembled here will march with me to Altford, to ensure the peace and security of the meeting of Elector-Dukes. In the hands of these noble servants of the empire lies its fate, and we are bound by sacred oath to our glorious Calradia to ensure that whatever bastards DARED to harm our emperor is brought to justice, and swiftly punished for his treachery to ALL of Calradia!" Fordragon roars, evoking a swell of cheers from his men. "We are servants of the empire! We stand between chaos and civilization! Between survival and extinction! Between life and death! We are the Imperial Guard! We will not surrender our glorious Empire to internal treachery, anarchy, or the damned Elven menace! ALL HAIL CALRADIA! ALL HAIL THE EMPIRE!" Fordragon bellows, his voice sending chills down the spines of all in attendance, provoking rapturous cheers, applause, and spontaneous renditions of the Imperial anthem.

The party stands in silence. The path of the Empire, and themselves, unknown. Only time can tell where the whirlwind shall take them, and what this new era shall unleash upon the world.

 **Hello everyone! I hope you are enjoying the story!**

 **I am unfortunately releasing this chapter behind my monthly schedule due to the craziness of March, along with this chapter being a particularly long one with quite a few moving parts. As I said, I will be trying to get a chapter out monthly (twice a month during summer) but sometimes life throws curve balls.**

 **Nonetheless, the story has begun in earnest! It will be nice change of scenery from the bleakness of Halfholm & Necro-hell, so stay tuned! **


	9. Lore Excerpt 4: Imperial Politics

Excerpts from _Historia Calradia: A Record of Calradian History_

 **The Holy Calradian Empire: Founding Days & Wartime History**

During the early days of the Great War, the weakness of the disunited lands of Calradia was made manifest as the Direnni marched across the land, driving out all that stood before them. At this time, King Heinrich Andalsfurt of the Kingdom of Altford proposed the idea of a united empire for the purposes of mutual survival and military coordination. With his control over the old Altfordian lands, Southshore and Aberrang, his idea was seen by many as a blatant powergrab to secure Altfordian dominance over the rest of the continent, leading to widespread condemnation from the other powers on the continent. In response to this skepticism, King Heinrich took the unprecedented step of the disqualification of his bloodline from having the title of Emperor pass to them after his death, instead instituting an Elector-based system of the appointment of Emperors for this united Calradia. As a result of this, his son Wilhelm the Traitor attempted to seize the throne of his father, igniting a civil war within Altford. Wilhelm was defeated by a combined force of Varangians and Altfordians, which were organized under the First Imperial Army Group. After the restoration of order in Altford, King Heinrich became Emperor Heinrich, and the continent united under his rule to repel the invaders. The armies of each former power were reorganized and consolidated under a new Calradian military, greatly increasing both logistical effectiveness and versatility of tactics. Though not enough to repel the invaders, this unified force held the line for over half a century, until significant breakthroughs were achieved in the late stages of the war. Mercifully, the Emperor did not perish until after the war's end, preventing despair within the ranks and preventing the chaos of an Imperial election during war.

 **The Institutions of the Empire**

 **I: Position of Emperor**

The position of Emperor is that of temperance in power. The Emperor acts as a uniting beacon for Calradia, yet he is no Divine, and his very restricted in authority. The Emperor must relinquish all titles and claims, and in exchange is given demesne over the Imperial Capital of Altford. He is ultimately the high commander of the Imperial Army, but said army is extremely restricted in domestic peacetime operations. The Emperor's primary roles today consist of the power of veto over the decrees and motions of the Assembly of Notables, as well as acting as the sole legal negotiator of all foreign affairs between the Empire and other nations. The powers of the Emperor are built to maintain balance between the traditional noble classes, new central power within the capital, and the rapidly developing power of artisans and guild associations.

 **II: Imperial Succession Rules**

Upon the death of the Emperor, a conclave is called by the Assembly, summoning each Elector-Duke to Altdorf. Here, interested individuals may announce their bid for Emperor, though it is not a legal requirement to announce a bid for Emperor before the conclave. Whoever attains a supermajority of 60% of all votes becomes the new Emperor. This contest continues until a candidate achieves this proportion of votes. There are technically no restrictions on who can run for Emperor, but it seems highly unlikely that anyone outside of a human noble would garner many votes.

 **Vote Breakup:**

 **Elector-Council: 7**

 **Assembly of Notables: 90**

 **Minority Representatives: 3**

The vote of a Minority Representative is equal to an Elector-Duke's. ⅓ (30) Assembly votes are equivalent to 1 Elector-Duke vote. This system keeps the balance of power between old feudal power and new cosmopolitan power, though the nobles keep a slight edge.

 **III: Assembly of Notables**

The Assembly of Notables acts as a sort of Imperial parliament of non-elector nobles, business leaders, guild representatives, members of clergy, scholars, and the occasional town/village representative. This body is primarily responsible for the creation of laws, taxes, and use of the Imperial budget. The body is meant to function as an institution for lesser nobles and "new power" to have influence in the new system. The assembly is not reliant on votes by the general public, but instead relies on a system of recommendation by peers. A representative of a guild, for example, is often put forward by their fellow guild members and uses their influence to gain the endorsement of one or more sitting Assembly members. Once this recommendation is secured, they either replace their recommender in the Assembly after they depart it or may be implanted if another Assemblyman is ousted for one reason or another.

 **IV: The Elector Council**

The Elector Council operates as the midpoint between the Emperor and the Assembly, ruling their Duchies almost as independent kingdoms. They see that the Assembly's laws are put to practice & taxes collected, as well as being chiefly responsible for the maintenance and defence of their holdings. They act as the direct representatives of their regional strongholds, for many of them (with the exceptions of Aberrang, Southshore, and Heimat) were once independent kingdoms or powers. These lands are given extreme freedom of rule, with their own local levies to keep the peace, divergent systems of law, and wholly un-uniform styles of rule. The flexibility granted to these Duchies allows for the Empire to remain united, creating a system that respects local autonomy yet holds all to their obligations toward Calradia as a whole.

 **V: Minority Representatives**

In order to promote order within the Empire, as well as a display of genuine appreciation, Emperor Andalsfurt gave numerous minority groups within the Empire representation via a vote in the Imperial Conclave. The groups in question were the Dwarves of Grofheim, the various Wood-Elven Communes, and, originally, the Gnomes and Halflings. The Gnomes lost their seat when it was revealed that numerous members of the Gnomish government (represented on the council) were selling slaves to the Direnni during wartime in exchange for magical schematics and tomes. The other three, however, retain their seats and operate as representatives of their people.

 **VI: The Imperial Army**

The Imperial Army acts as the sword and shield of the Empire in the face of danger. It is by far the largest military force on the continent, as well as one of the largest employers of Imperial citizens of all races and backgrounds. Its role in saving Calradia from Direnni conquest has cemented it as a fundamental part of Imperial identity. It is divided into three Army Groups, each headed by a Grand Marshal, who act as autonomous commanders that report directly to the Emperor. Each is stationed in an area considered "high risk" regarding conflict. The First Army Group is stationed at Fort Iserlohn on the far northern border of the Empire, meant to deter invasion by Orcish Warpaths. The Second Army Group is stationed at The Jaegersfort, which keeps an eye on the Aberrangi/Varangian border territories to deter separatist violence. Lastly, the Third Army Group is stationed at Fort Easthold, operating as a military reconstruction force and first line of defense against potential Direnni threat. Though the Imperial Army has a variety of specific rank designations and specialty units, they are colloquially referred to as "Guardsmen", for that basic garrison units makes up the bulk of the Imperial Army's forces. In the postwar era, the Imperial Army has been relegated toward mainly garrison duty, for they are forbidden by law from usurping the local authority of noble liege levies in regards to local defense, tax collection, and carrying out justice.

The institutions of the Holy Calradian Empire are what keep it united. With respect for autonomy and embrace of duty to the whole of Calradia, our people have created a system that shall weather any crisis, outlast any threat, and lead us confidently into the future.

 _These last lines strike you as odd. In fact, this whole section of the book does. Why is there no mention of the endemic corruption? The assassinations? The complete dysfunction of the institutions it praises?_

 _You frown, turning the book to its front page. You realize, with a smile only nostalgia can summon, that this book is a first edition, written but a couple of years after the death of Emperor Heinrich. Did your apprentice misplace your current edition? No wonder that the author had so much praise for the institutions of the Empire!_

" _Oh, how naive we were back then!" you think to yourself, producing a sad chuckle._


End file.
